Drawing Close to God in 2021

I sat down to write today, the last day of 2020, as it’s been a while. I tend to write several posts at a time. However, I just felt the nudge from God to share. I will post this the first Tuesday of January so we’ll be in the first full week of 2021. (That is weird to even type 2021.)

This year may have been longer for some, maybe even for you. You may have lost loved ones to the virus or to other illnesses. You may have struggled more with depression and anxiety, as many people have been dealing with those issues more. Maybe it was a needed “break” for you to stay at home more. Possibly, like me you actually got out more and made more progress than any year in the past decade.

Wherever you are, there is one thing we know for sure. We know that our God is still on His throne. He knows everything going on, and more. He is the One who can carry us through absolutely anything. (Even a pandemic.)

I watched Michael W. Smith’s Christmas special on TBN and he had The Katina’s on with him. They sang a song that brought me back to the past. I was in college (July 1998) and on a mission trip to Belarus (which is a country that was part of the former Soviet Union). We were on a very old bus, driving through the country to get to the camp where we would work in Kobrin.

I had borrowed a CD (yes a CD as that’s how we listened to music 😊) from a friend on the trip. It was the Exodus CD, and as I was listening to it and praying, I closed my eyes and let the music wash over me. This song came on that was exactly what I needed to hear. I was excited to be in another country, but there is also fear with the adventure.

The song starts out like this:

“Draw me close to you
Never let me go
I lay it all down again
To hear you say that I’m your friend
You are my desire
No one else will do
‘Cause nothing else can take your place
To feel the warmth of your embrace
Help me find the way
Bring me back to you

You’re all I want
You’re all I’ve ever needed
You’re all I want
Help me know you are near”

As I listened to this song God reminded me He is everywhere. Every inch of this earth and into the heavens. We cannot go anywhere from Him. He is near to us.

As we close this year with all that has gone on (on top of what you already deal with having trauma in your life) and we head into 2021, I pray you can draw close to the One who is always with us. May He be your desire, your love, and may you feel the warmth of His embrace every day in 2021 and beyond.

(I linked the song here for you.)

Draw Me Close to You by: The Katinas

© 2020 Susan M. Clabaugh. All Rights Reserved.