Office of Church Relations

Getting Closer to God 101

      As you begin reading this, think for a moment about what questions you have concerning your faith and your God.  A question that has been on the mind of people since there has been thought is, “How do I get closer to God?”  This question comes from all sorts of people, people both similar and dissimilar to you and me.  The question may take different forms in these days of spiritual curiosity, but being close to God is still at the root of that search.  The great theologian Paul Tillich said, “in the time of Jesus as today, God is that for which we have an ultimate concern.”  The long season of the Sundays after Pentecost invites us into reflection about our relationship with God. 

Link to the First Reading

      Here we have the story of the calling of Isaiah.  We all wish we could be so bold as to say, “Here am I; send me.”  Isaiah finds himself in the presence of the holy.  Likely in worship, Isaiah has a vision that will later be picked up in the book of Revelation.  Isaiah foreshadows for us the reality that God will not hold God’s self separate from humanity any longer.  Isaiah sees “the Lord of hosts” and does not die.  Rather, Isaiah is cleansed by a seraph.

      Isaiah is brought into a closer relationship with God by God in the midst of worship.  Isaiah then goes and proclaims the message of God.  The message is a harsh one at first, but God’s message shall increasingly become one of forgiveness and reconciliation bringing all of creation into a closer relationship.

Link to the Second Reading

      “All who are led by the Spirit of God are children of God.”  For Paul, the Spirit of God and the Spirit of Christ is the same Spirit.  Through baptism we are invited into a relationship with God.  We open our eyes to see that God is not far off in the distance.  This is especially true in times of suffering.  Paul puts it this way, “we suffer with him (Christ) so that we may also be glorified with him.” 

Link to the Gospel Reading

      The question of how one gets closer to God is in the background of the Nicodemus story in John 3.  Nicodemus, a Pharisee, comes to Jesus under the cover of night.  He has spent his life following the Law of Moses, the Law of God.  Good old Nic knows what it is to live in obedience to God.  Yet, here is this Jesus who must come from God.  Nicodemus wonders, can he get closer to God by knowing this Jesus.  Nicodemus comes under the cover of night to see the one who is called, “the light of the world.”

      “Rabbi, we know that you are a teacher who has come from God, for no one can do these signs that you do apart from the presence of God.”  This statement comes from one religious leader to another.  We can almost see Jesus looking Nicodemus over.  We are told that Jesus can see into the hearts of people.  In John 2:25, the introduction to our Nicodemus story, the Gospel writer John tells us that Jesus himself knew what was in everyone.  Jesus very clearly sees into the deepest longing of this religious leader.  He sees the question behind the statement.  Jesus knew what was on the heart of Nicodemus, and so he says, “Very truly I tell you, no one can see the kingdom of God without being born from above.  And again he says, “no one can see the kingdom of God without being born of water and the Spirit.”

      What Nicodemus was hearing, possibly for the first time is that our relationship with God, our ability to get close to God, begins and ends…with God.  Being born from above is not something we do; it is something done to us and for us by God.  We can look at it this way.  We have little say in the matter of being born for the first time.  We don’t choose our birth parents.  Most of us, after all, don’t remember being born.  Our physical births were caused by powers far beyond our infantile abilities and understanding.  Being born is something that happens to us from powers outside of ourselves.  Yet it is a very important event all the same.  Many societies place quite a bit of stock into birth status.  This is very clearly seen in countries such as India where if you are born male or female, into the high leading Brahman class or the lowly “untouchable class” your life is set up for you.  Your birth status tells you how far you can strive in India.  While this may be less true in the United States, those who are born in families with money tend to get the better opportunities for education and jobs.  We hear the cliche that money follows money.  Birth status in Jesus day also meant everything.  Nicodemus likely became a Pharisee because of the family he was born into.  In such a world, a second birth would be a life-changing event.  Jesus tells the importance of a second birth, and his saying catches the world off guard.

      Our very ability to get closer to God is initiated by God.  Jesus says, “No on can enter the Kingdom of God without being born of water and the Spirit.”  My complaint with some of the “born again” emphasis is that it often becomes something we do.  We need to take this story more seriously.  Both the grammar and imagery indicate that God, the one “from above” is the prime mover.  As Christians we can talk about being born from above at our baptism.  This is our second birth.  It is no surprise that the baptismal font has been historically understood as the womb of the church.  The font is the place where as Christians our life changes because of the work of God’s Spirit because of Jesus the Christ.

      How do you get closer to God?  By asking this question, you are a witness to the Holy Spirit working in you, calling you, gathering you, enlightening you to a new way of life, a way of life that will change you.  It was Luther who talked about returning to our baptism daily, our place of second birth.  It is at the font that we are marked with the promise of being washed of sin and brought into the presence of the one who does not leave us alone. 

Questions for Discussion

1.Where do you hear God most clearly in your life?  What relationships bear Christ to you in your daily life?

2. This Sunday is also called Trinity Sunday.  How do you understand the relationship of the trinity in your faith?

3.If God is the one in charge of bringing you into a closer relationship, what responsibility do you believe is left with you?

4. Where is God asking you to say, “Here I am, send me?”  What gifts are you keeping in that could be used for the mission and ministry of Jesus Christ?

5. Where would you like to grow in faith and understanding over this summer?  Where is the Spirit leading you?