Hebrews -- Holding on to JesusNäide

An Invitation to Draw Close

Imagine being out in the snow all day. Your fingers are numb, your body is shivering, and you’re exhausted. Then, off in the distance, you spot a roaring campfire. You know that warmth, comfort, and life are just ahead. Would you stop and sit down where you are? Content with seeing the fire in the distance. Of course not! You’d keep walking until you could feel the heat. Simply seeing the fire isn’t enough. You have to draw close to receive any sort of benefit.

This is exactly how spiritual life and growth work: Proximity matters. Many people know about Jesus, church, and Christian community, but they keep their distance. They stay far enough away to see the light but never close enough to feel the warmth. And in doing so, they miss the power, healing, sharpening and transformation that only come through nearness to God and His people. The strength of the church, both personally and corporately, depends on closeness. Closeness to God leads to spiritual maturity. Closeness to others fosters trust, care, and the sharing of spiritual gifts. In Christ, we are invited to draw near, not with fear, but with confidence. And when circumstances are most difficult, that is not when we separate, but when we choose to draw even closer.

This drawing near to God is a major theme in this section of Hebrews. We draw near to God because through Christ, now we can. That wasn’t always the case. In the Old Testament, entering God’s presence was a fearful thing. Once a year, on the Day of Atonement, the high priest would enter the Most Holy Place. He came trembling, knowing that if he failed in the smallest detail, he could die. But everything changed with Jesus.

Hebrews 10:19, 22 (NIV), “Therefore, brothers and sisters, since we have confidence to enter the Most Holy Place by the blood of Jesus ... let us draw near to God with a sincere heart and with the full assurance that faith brings.”

Now, we come not with the blood of animals, but with the infinitely more powerful blood of Christ. Jesus opened a new and living way. His body was torn, just like the temple veil, so that we could come boldly into the very presence of God (Matthew 27:51).

Charles Spurgeon put it beautifully: “For believers the veil is not rolled up, but rent. The veil was not unhooked, and carefully folded up, and put away, so that it might be put in its place at some future time. Oh, no! But the divine hand took it and rent it from top to bottom. It can never be hung up again; that is impossible. Between those who are in Christ Jesus and the great God, there will never be another separation.”

The sacrifice of Jesus accomplished many things. Thanks to Jesus, the problem of access to God is settled. The need for a perfect High Priest is fulfilled. The issue of spiritual pollution has been resolved. We don’t draw near based on how we feel, but on what He has done. Still, the encouragement to “draw near” is necessary, because even believers can drift. The Hebrews were facing intense pressure and persecution, and they had lost their intimacy and closeness with Jesus. Their real problem wasn’t external; it was spiritual distance that had formed a rift in their hearts.

The same can be true for us today. Hard times can push us to isolate and insulate, hoping to avoid pain and discomfort. But over time, this isolation breeds discouragement and distance. That’s why Hebrews 10:24–25 (NIV) emphasizes not neglecting to meet together: “And let us consider how we may spur one another on toward love and good deeds, not giving up meeting together ... but encouraging one another, and all the more as you see the Day approaching.” “Spur on” is a strong term. It means to provoke, incite, or stir up. This passage reminds us that love and relationships aren’t passive. They need encouragement. They require action. Faith and hope can exist in solitude, but love needs people.

With this in mind, we don’t gather only when we feel like it. We don’t pray and look to God only when it feels right. We gather to give, to receive, to worship, and to strengthen each other. We pray because it is what we’ve been called to. The warmth of a fire doesn’t help you unless you get close. The same is true with God and His people. If you feel cold, distant, or discouraged, don’t sit down in the snow. Draw near. God has opened the way. The veil is torn. The invitation is clear. Come close.