Have you had a longing to be close to the Lord or at least closer than you are now? Have you tried a long list of things to try to get closer to Him and ended up feeling none of them really accomplished the goal?
Many of us have been there at one time or another or perhaps more than once or twice in our Christian walk.
That was true for Dave Hickman, author of the newly released book, Closer Than Close. For years he described himself as striving to be close to Jesus until (in his words) “I stumbled upon the shocking reality that Jesus was already as close to me as He could possibly get.”
“It was then that I discovered, in the words of Philip Yancey, ‘the Jesus I knew.’ Striving was replaced with abiding. Guilt gave way to joy. Fear was consumed with perfect love.”
If you have walked a similar walk, striving to be close to Jesus, wishing you could have a more connected relationship with Him, or glimpsed it in the life of someone else and wondered what you had missed, Closer Than Close, is a book you won’t want to miss reading.
Perhaps you have missed or misunderstood that the central message of the gospel is union with Christ.
Dave Hickman not only shares his journey to that discovery, but also leads the reader to an understanding that “becoming conscious of our union with Christ is imperative for a full understanding of God, self, salvation, and the depths of God’s eternal love and acceptance.”
If you have struggled with feeling closer to the Lord, that statement might seem like an impossible experience to attain. Dave Hickman felt that way too until the Lord revealed the truth to him that he had been missing all along as he experienced the birth of his first son.
In those first moments of his son’s life, as Dave held him in his arms, he had never sensed such a depth of love or desire to somehow be closer than close as he did in those moments of first holding him. He describes his reaction of wanting to even breathe his son’s breath and share in that connection of the same breath.
In those precious few moments of breathing in and out with his new son, he sensed the Lord speaking to him, “That’s it, Dave. You got it.”
Dave goes on to describe how the Lord reveals to him the truth he had been missing. “What if Jesus never wanted to have a ‘close relationship’ with me? What if he always wanted to be ‘one’ with me instead?” What if Jesus desired the same thing that he desired with this beautiful baby son he held in his arms? Could it possibly be true?
The reader is led page by page in the author’s nurturing beautiful words to the unfolding of the reality of our union with Christ, a divine mystery. He shares that “when the Bible uses the word mystery, it is most often referring not to something unknown but rather to something that has now been fully revealed.”
We know things in this world are not what they should be and that we are not what we should be or were created to be. We enjoyed perfect union with God in the Garden, but then man broke that union when he yielded to temptation.
Despite that choice by man, God remained faithful, however, and “God continues to chase after that which he lost at the Fall—union with his bride.”
Closer Than Close looks at the path to “reunion” to the discovery of our personal identity as “the most loved” to discover something more intimate than a relationship between two individuals.
Closer Than Close (Awakening to the Freedom of Your Union with Christ) will open the eyes of your heart, mind, and spirit to the discovery that changes everything.
In exchange for my review, Tyndale through the Blog Network, provided this book, published by Tyndale House. I am disclosing this in accordance with the Federal Trade Commission’s 16 CFR, Part 255: “Guides Concerning the Use of Endorsements and Testimonials in Advertising.”
Sounds like quite a book, for I think most Christians have, at one time or another, longed for a closer relationship with Jesus. Thank you so much for linking this lovely post at The Loft this week.
It is an outstanding book! It produced enough reflection in me to write a 6 part series set of posts!!
This sounds like an awesome book. I, too, loved that phrase “Striving was replaced with abiding,” because abiding is my aim. It’s where I long to be, abiding in Him.
Thanks for sharing at The Loft! (I’ll be looking for your series, too.)
The series started with one entitled Another Look at What Happened in the Garden on August 12. Hope you enjoy the series. I think you would love the book!!
This looks like a fantastic book! I loved the comment about the divine mystery and knowing something that has been revealed. Proverbs 25:2 talks about the glory of a concealed matter being searched out and known. Ultimately, He wants us to know Him on that intimate level. He wants to be known as He knows us.
Thanks for sharing this at the #GraceMoments Link up.
Blessings,
Dawn
Thanks! It truly is excellent! Gave me so much to consider that it inspired a 6 part series of posts. You might enjoy checking them out. The first was Another Look at What Happened in the Garden last Friday. So much appreciate your kind encouragement!!
Wow, Pam, this sounds like a great book. And you have such an inviting way of describing your reading experiences. Like you, I’m afraid that I just keep adding books to the never-ending list.
Blessings to you!
Thanks! It influenced me to write a 5 part series (maybe 6) that I started this past Friday. It caught me off guard with its impact. Have a great week ahead, my friend!
Pam, This sounds like a really great book. Our identity in Christ is at the heart of my message of hope so it really intrigues me!!! Thank you for sharing this resource at #MomentsofHope!
Blessings and smiles,
Lori
It was really excellent, Lori! I was stirred on many levels and ended up writing a series of posts as a result that is laced with quotes from the book. The first one (Another Look at What Happened in the Garden) was out on Friday and the others will be coming up this M, W, F. Blessings and love right back to you!!
It’s refreshing to see a book on that is not about ‘doing’ to become more Christ-like, but about learning to discover who Christ, and in that discover who we are. I am seeing this more and more, and believing God is calling us to this–too less striving.
I couldn’t agree more, Lynn! Somewhere along the line too many of us have gotten lost along the yellow brick road and forgotten (if we ever knew) what this relationship with the Lord and our walk with Him was to be about and look like! Always enjoy our connection!!
Looks like a great book. Thanks for sharing with us…
“…Jesus was already as close to me as He could possibly get.” I love how he came to that realization. And I love this thought “Striving was replaced with abiding.” Oh, if we could all learn that lesson once and for all. It’s not about striving but leaning on Jesus, our Savior.
Blessings, Pam. I’m your neighbor at #MomentsofHope.
Thanks so much, Gayl! The book was a rich blessing and reminder that has spurred me to reflect and write a short series starting Friday this week. I am still trying to catch up from nearly a month away to help care for our granddaughter following surgery.