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“Come near to God and he will come near to you. Wash your hands, you sinners, and purify your hearts, you double‑minded.”(James 4:8)
As we all know, we Japanese don’t like to strictly follow just one religion. When I say “we Japanese,” it means “typical Japanese people.” Rather than strictly following a single religion, we Japanese choose different religious practices depending on the situation(or season). For example, in January, here in Japan we Japanese visit a Shinto shrine(初詣) to pray for health and safety in the coming year. In the summer, we Japanese remember our ancestors(お盆) in a Buddhist way. At Christmas, we Japanese enjoy the Christian flavor through Santa Claus and Christmas cake.
Why is that? Because if we Japanese follow only one religion, it feels like we are giving our life decisions to that religion. We Japanese don’t want to surrender decision-making power over our lives to that religion. Instead, we Japanese want to keep control of our lives. We don’t want religion to tell us what to do. The truth is that we Japanese want to use religion only when it is useful or feels good to us. I may call it “religious pragmatism.”
Because of this, most Japanese people like to keep some distance from religion. Sometimes they get a little closer, and other times they move away again. They don’t want to be too involved. This doesn’t only happen with religion. In relationships with people too, most Japanese want to keep a little space. They seem to prefer keeping a comfortable distance. From my personal experience, they often keep about 1 to 1.5 meters of space. This is not just physical space, but also emotional space. If you try to get closer than 1 meter, they may step back to protect their space. But if you are too far away, they may slowly come closer again. They try to keep relationships “not too close, not too far. Is that true? Maybe or maybe not.
This also seems to be true in their relationship with God. Being too close to God feels like a burden to them. If God feels too close, they feel uncomfortable. But if they feel too far from God, they may start to feel a little lonely or uneasy. So most Japanese people often live with God at a safe distance. Close enough to feel comfort, but not so close that they feel pressure. Do you think so? Do you agree with me? Some of you may agree. Some of you may not agree. That’s ok.
Japanese people often say, “I feel lonely.” But it’s not just the Japanese—many people today feel lonely. Loneliness is everywhere. Yes, close relationships with others can help ease that loneliness for a while. But they cannot fix the loneliness completely.
So what is the true solution? The answer is “drawing close to God.” It is having a personal, deep, and daily relationship with Him. When we are close to God, our hearts become full. We feel peace and love. Brothers and sisters, come near to God. Come even closer. Don’t be afraid that you will lose control over your life. God is the One who gives you life. God is the One who gives you peace and joy. He wants to walk with you and bless your life.
Many people think of God as someone who is far away—high up in the heavens and not really connected to our daily lives. But the Bible says, “The Lord is near to all who call on Him, to all who call on Him in truth” (Psalm 145:18).
God wants to be with us. He walked with Adam in the Garden of Eden, came to this world in a human form through Jesus Christ, and now wants to dwell in our hearts through the Holy Spirit. God is actually in our hearts.
In human relationships, being close means trust and love. If someone asks, “Are you close to him?”, they might be asking whether you like or trust him. Where relationships are distant, there can be misunderstanding and disconnection or broken relationships. But when people are close, there is understanding and forgiveness. God is always calling to us with these words: “Come close to Me.”
This is both a command and an invitation. The holy and powerful God is inviting us—though we are weak and sinful. “Don’t stay far away—come to Me.”
Being close to someone doesn’t just mean being near them physically. It means having a close relationship. When you are close to someone, you can share your feelings, your troubles, and ask for help. Now, let’s ask ourselves: “How close am I to God right now?” God wants to be close to you. He is not far away. He is not a distant God. Jeremiah 23:23 says, “Am I only a God nearby,” declares the Lord, “and not a God far away?” Psalm 145:18 also says, “The Lord is near to all who call on him.”
Yes, God is close to you. He is not far away. God came to us first and showed His love through Jesus Christ. Now, it is our turn to come closer to God. God is a personal Being. He wants us to come to Him with our hearts. God is not a God who stays far away. He is a God who wants a relationship.
Jesus always had a close relationship with God the Father. He prayed to God often. Even when He was very busy and tired, Jesus prayed. Sometimes, He prayed early in the morning or late at night. Mark 1:35 says, “Very early in the morning, while it was still dark, Jesus got up, left the house and went off to a solitary place, where he prayed.”
Before making important decisions, Jesus prayed and sought the Father’s will. He didn’t make decisions on His own. In other words, He went to God. He drew close to God.
For example, before choosing the twelve disciples, Jesus went to God in prayer. He spent time with God and talked with Him. Luke 6:12 says, “One of those days Jesus went out to a mountainside to pray, and spent the night praying to God.” This verse shows that Jesus prayed all night before choosing His disciples. Jesus really focused on prayer. He prayed all night. This teaches us how important it is to go to God in prayer—especially when we face important decisions.
And also before the suffering of the cross, Jesus went to the Garden of Gethsemane to pray. Before carrying the cross, He drew near to God. To overcome deep pain, to face fear and terrifying reality, Jesus turned to God in prayer.
Brothers and sisters, when we have to face a reality we cannot avoid, let us go to God first. Let us ask Him for the strength to overcome. Remember through prayer, Jesus sought the Father’s will and received strength to obey.
Jesus always lived with the awareness that He was one with God. He saw His relationship with God not as one between a master and a servant, but as a close relationship between a Father and a Son.
If so, how can we draw near to God? James 4:8 says: “Come near to God and he will come near to you. Wash your hands, you sinners, and purify your hearts, you double-minded.”
James doesn’t just say, “Come near to God”—he also tells us how to do it. He says, “Wash your hands, you sinners,” which means we need to make our actions clean. We can’t become close to God without first turning away from our sins. If we want to come near to God, we need to repent and wash our hands. Sometimes our hands do wrong things—hold on to greed, or push others away. But God says to us: “Wash your hands first, and I will hold you in My arms.”
James also says, “Purify your hearts, you double-minded.” This means we should give our whole heart to God. If we try to follow God but also trust in the world, our hearts become divided, and we can’t get close to Him. In Matthew 6:24, Jesus also said, “No one can serve two masters.” A pure heart is an undivided heart—a heart devoted solely to God.
There is grace that comes when we draw near to God. We receive the forgiveness of our sins. Peace comes into our hearts. The direction of our lives changes. Most importantly, we experience the presence of God. A life that draws near to God is never a loss. When we take one step toward Him, He runs ten steps toward us.
Brothers and sisters, aren’t you curious about how I actually try to draw near to God every day? I believe you are. Right? Every morning, I wake up at 6 a.m. and pray. I pray for 30 minutes, from 6 to 6:30. When I pray in the morning, I often receive inspiring and good thoughts. I’m reminded of things I need to do right away. I can even write sermons much better and quicker after early morning prayer. I can focus better, and that helps me work more effectively. I also read between 9 and 30 chapters of the Bible every day. I read in English, Japanese, and Korean. From what I read, I pick one chapter and read it out loud. As I read, I record myself. Then I upload the recording to our family group chat on LINE. Once a week, I fast for a day. While fasting, I meditate on God’s Word. I usually fast on Thursdays. Lastly, I go on a walk at night. I try to do it every day if possible, though it’s not always easy. While walking, I listen to the Word or share various thoughts with God. You might call it “prayer walk.”
I encourage you to follow my example, as I follow the example of Christ. Try to put some of them into practice. Draw near to God. Stay in close relationship with Him at all times. Don’t go back and forth. Stay close to Him always.
Let me conclude with this: Don’t miss the opportunity to draw near to God. Do you feel like God is far away? If so, it’s not because He has moved away—it’s because we have moved away from Him. Today, in this very moment, come close to God again. He will not condemn you. Instead, He will gladly embrace you in His arms.
Let us pray.
God, please help us not to drift away from You. Cleanse our hands and our hearts, and help us live a life that looks only to You. May we realize that drawing near to You is our true blessing, and may we walk with You daily. In Jesus’ name we pray, Amen.
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