Introduction

Friends, some weeks feel like a treadmill stuck on high speed. Our calendars crowd us, our phones buzz at us, and our souls sigh within us. We try to keep up appearances while our insides ache for an anchor. Have you felt that slow leak of peace, that subtle drift of the heart when worries and wants pull you from the simple wonder of God’s nearness? If so, you’re in good company. Asaph from Psalm 73 wore our shoes. He watched the headlines of his day, scrolled the highlight reels of others, and said, “My steps had well nigh slipped.” And then—he stepped into the sanctuary. One gaze toward God changed everything. Perspective sharpened. Envy softened. Peace settled.

This is the gracious gift before us today: to enter and remain in His presence; to purify our hearts and hands so we can draw near without pretense; to seek first the Kingdom and release the weights that wear us out. What if the door to God’s nearness is not complicated, just often crowded by noisy distractions? What if the King of the universe waits with the kindness of a Father, whispering, “Come close; I want your heart”? Paths get straight when God gets near. Fear begins to loosen its grip when we lift our gaze. As Jesus promised, when the Kingdom is first, confusion fades and peace begins to hum like a hymn in the background of our day.

Hear this wise counsel that speaks to our times: “Our greatest fear should not be of failure, but of succeeding at things in life that don’t really matter.” — Francis Chan. Isn’t that a needed nudge? To chase applause and miss adoration. To clutch what is passing and miss the One who is present. Have you noticed how quickly our minds wander to what we don’t have, where we haven’t been, who we haven’t become? But the Father’s kindness calls us back: Wash your hands. Open your heart. Come near. He is nearer than the next breath and kinder than we imagine. A clean heart is a calm heart. A focused heart is a free heart. And a seeking heart becomes a singing heart—because when God is our portion, we are never impoverished.

Before we read, let’s ask for help. The Spirit delights to turn noisy hearts into quiet chapels and anxious thoughts into altar prayers. He knows how to lift our chins, steady our steps, and warm our worship. He will do it again.

Opening Prayer: Father, we come with busy minds, brittle places, and burdens we can’t carry alone. Gather our scattered thoughts. Wash our weary hearts. Meet us in Your Word with clarity and courage. Teach us to enter and remain in Your presence. Cleanse our hands and purify our hearts. Fix our focus on Your Kingdom above every craving and concern. Let the sanctuary of Your nearness settle our souls and shape our steps. Speak, Lord, for Your servants are listening. In Jesus’ name, amen.

Scripture Reading: Psalm 73 (KJV): 1 Truly God is good to Israel, even to such as are of a clean heart. 2 But as for me, my feet were almost gone; my steps had well nigh slipped. 3 For I was envious at the foolish, when I saw the prosperity of the wicked. 4 For there are no bands in their death: but their strength is firm. 5 They are not in trouble as other men; neither are they plagued like other men. 6 Therefore pride compasseth them about as a chain; violence covereth them as a garment. 7 Their eyes stand out with fatness: they have more than heart could wish. 8 They are corrupt, and speak wickedly concerning oppression: they speak loftily. 9 They set their mouth against the heavens, and their tongue walketh through the earth. 10 Therefore his people return hither: and waters of a full cup are wrung out to them. 11 And they say, How doth God know? and is there knowledge in the most High? 12 Behold, these are the ungodly, who prosper in the world; they increase in riches. 13 Verily I have cleansed my heart in vain, and washed my hands in innocency. 14 For all the day long have I been plagued, and chastened every morning. 15 If I say, I will speak thus; behold, I should offend against the generation of thy children. 16 When I thought to know this, it was too painful for me; 17 Until I went into the sanctuary of God; then understood I their end. 18 Surely thou didst set them in slippery places: thou castedst them down into destruction. 19 How are they brought into desolation, as in a moment! they are utterly consumed with terrors. 20 As a dream when one awaketh; so, O Lord, when thou awakest, thou shalt despise their image. 21 Thus my heart was grieved, and I was pricked in my reins. 22 So foolish was I, and ignorant: I was as a beast before thee. 23 Nevertheless I am continually with thee: thou hast holden me by my right hand. 24 Thou shalt guide me with thy counsel, and afterward receive me to glory. 25 Whom have I in heaven but thee? and there is none upon earth that I desire beside thee. 26 My flesh and my heart faileth: but God is the strength of my heart, and my portion for ever. 27 For, lo, they that are far from thee shall perish: thou hast destroyed all them that go a whoring from thee. 28 But it is good for me to draw near to God: I have put my trust in the Lord GOD, that I may declare all thy works.

James 4:8 (KJV): Draw nigh to God, and he will draw nigh to you. Cleanse your hands, ye sinners; and purify your hearts, ye double minded.

Matthew 6:33 (KJV): But seek ye first the kingdom of God, and his righteousness; and all these things shall be added unto you.

Friends, let’s let these words warm the room of our hearts. The God who guided Asaph will guide us. He invites us to come close, stay close, and live clear. And as we do, the noise will quiet, the fog will thin, and the Father’s nearness will become our new normal. Shall we begin?

Enter and remain in His presence

God is near. Closer than we think. He is not far at the edge of our lives. He is near and willing to meet us where we are.

Coming close begins with attention. We turn our minds toward Him. We speak to Him with plain words. We listen with a calm heart. We keep coming again and again.

James says to come close to God and He will come close to you. That is a clear promise. It also carries a call. Clean hands. Clean hearts. This speaks to what we do and why we do it. Actions and motives both matter.

So we bring what is true. We bring the words we said that were sharp. We bring the thought we fed that should have been refused. We bring the hidden things, and we bring the public ones. We ask for washing. We ask for a clean inside. God gives grace to the humble.

Staying close is simple, and it is steady. Set small pauses in the day. A quiet minute before calls or chores. A slow read of a psalm. A breath prayer while you walk. Small steps keep the door open.

This way of living grows over time. A line from Scripture held in the mind. A short song hummed under your breath. A quick thank you when help comes. A quick help me when you feel weak. These small moves train the heart to look up.

When we keep near, God shapes our view. He guides our thoughts. He brings His word to mind at the right time. He steadies our steps. He sets a calm center inside.

Seeking His rule first clears the clutter. We ask, what does God want here? What choice honors Him? What words fit His way? He adds what we need as we walk. Trust builds when we see His care again and again.

The psalm shows how this works in real life. The writer looks around and feels pulled. Then he comes into God’s holy place. Things start to make sense. This is the same path for us. Simple steps. Honest hearts. A steady look toward God.

When the psalmist says he went into the holy place, a change starts to rise. He had tried to figure life out by himself. It weighed him down. It was too hard to carry. But in God’s place, light turned on. He began to see the end of things. He began to see what lasts and what fades.

We can make a simple holy place in our day. Not a grand room. A chair by a window. A parked car. A corner of the kitchen before the house wakes. Open the Scripture. Read slow. Ask God to make it clear. Ask Him to uncover what is off inside and what is true. Ask Him to show you what He sees.

In that place, questions soften. Envy loses fuel. Anger cools. God gives a wider view. He shows the path ahead and the edge of the cliff. He shows what choices lead to peace. He shows where to turn and when to stop. Clarity grows as God becomes large again in your eyes.

The psalmist also says, I am always with You. That is steady comfort. Not a burst of help and then silence. A hand that does not let go. Picture God taking your right hand. He guides with counsel. He stays close when the day is loud. He stays close when the night is long.

This means we can ask for wisdom often. Short prayers count. Lord, what should I say? Lord, how should I respond? Lord, lead my next step. Then be quiet for a moment. Let His word guide. Let His Spirit nudge. Trust the gentle check inside when pride tries to lead.

Living this way changes the tone of a day. Decisions feel less frantic. Pressure loses that edge. You will still plan. You will still work hard. Yet you move with Someone who holds you. You are not alone in the room. You are not alone in the fight. His counsel meets you in real time.

Then the psalmist says, my flesh and my heart may fail. He is honest about limits. Bodies tire. Minds fog. Plans stall. Yet God gives strength inside. He becomes the steady center. He becomes your share, your enough, your portion that will not empty.

This truth brings relief. You do not have to hold your world by yourself. When your strength dips, you can say it. Lord, I am weak today. Lord, I cannot lift this without You. Help me. And He meets you there. He gives courage to face the task. He gives patience to wait. He gives calm in the middle of pain.

Let this shape your habits. Start the day by naming where you feel thin. Name the fear, the weight, the shortage. Then confess a line of truth. God, You are the strength of my heart. God, You are my portion forever. Keep that line nearby. Say it often. Watch what happens to your pulse and your pace.

At the close of the psalm we hear, it is good for me to come close to God. That is a choice and a testimony. This is good. This is right. This is worth my time. Trust follows. Then words follow. He says he will tell what God has done. Nearness fuels faith. Nearness fuels witness.

Use this in a simple way. Keep a small list of God’s help. A daily record. A short line. A small gift. A needed call. A bill paid. A soft word that healed a tense room. Thank Him for each one. Speak of them to a friend. Tell your kids. Say it at dinner. This is how closeness spreads in a home and a church.

James calls us to wash our hands and clean our hearts as we come. So we make it a habit. Short prayers of confession through the day. Quick steps to make things right when we hurt someone. Clear deals. Honest talk. This is not stiff or harsh. It is healthy. It keeps the air clear. It keeps the path open to God’s face.

And as we put His rule first, like Jesus says, the order of our days starts to change. Choices line up with His ways. Money, time, and words begin to follow His lead. Needs find their answer in His care. We look back and see a pattern of help. We look ahead and feel steady hope.

Purify your heart and hands to draw near

James speaks plainly: “Cleanse your hands, ye sinners; and purify your hearts, ye double minded ... View this full PRO sermon free with PRO