Draw Me Nearer

Normally I'm not a huge fan of just posting song lyrics after song lyrics on my blog, but lately songs have been hitting me hard. This one in particular: it's Fanny Crosby's "Draw Me Nearer." For some reason it really touched me today in church, I'm not always a big fan of the songs that we sing - bad theology and individually centered - but this one just struck true with me and how God does call us even though we often don't want to be called - we don't want to be drawn. I have found that I am much like Jonah - I hear God calling and I turn and run away just in case it turns out that He wants me to go out to some foreign land or do something that doesn't fit in with my plans for my life. But sometimes God calls just because He wants us to hear His voice so that we will recognize it. Sometimes He just wants to express how much He loves us and that He is proud of us for trying. the first and last verses really hit me about how true this is for me - that there are things that I won't know until I am called home and that I need to learn to be joyful in His love instead of seeing it at this great weight that He died for me.

I am Thine, O Lord, I have heard Thy voice,
And it told Thy love to me;
But I long to rise in the arms of faith
And be closer drawn to Thee.

Refrain:
Draw me nearer, nearer blessed Lord,
To the cross where Thou hast died;
Draw me nearer, nearer, nearer blessed Lord,
To Thy precious, bleeding side.

Consecrate me now to Thy service, Lord,
By the pow’r of grace divine;
Let my soul look up with a steadfast hope,
And my will be lost in Thine.

Oh, the pure delight of a single hour
That before Thy throne I spend,
When I kneel in prayer, and with Thee, my God
I commune as friend with friend!

There are depths of love that I cannot know
Till I cross the narrow sea;
There are heights of joy that I may not reach
Till I rest in peace with Thee.