Henry Krabbendam - James - World Evangelical Alliance

27:8b), as one quenches his thirst by turning to a fountain, and stills his hunger
by coming to the dinner table (Calvin, 334). It involves one’s heart, one’s
mind, one’s will as well as one’s affections. It may, and should, be done in a
variety of ways and circumstances, in an ever growing crescendo, in steady,
uninterrupted, continuity, following spells of dryness, after times of estrangement,
or in the wake of serious lapses. In short, it should always be on,
or return to, the front burner of the Christian experience. Incidentally, this is a
requirement in its own right, but will prove to be no small assistance in the
battle with Satan. The command to draw near to God manifestly implies that
he can be ever so close in terms of union and at the same time ever so far in
terms of communion. The former is indicative of God’s eternal love that
originated and desired union, the latter serves to enhance the delight of that
love through communion.
The access into the presence of God in the OT was enjoyed by no one
except the Highpriest (Ex. 19:22), and even this only “of sorts.” After all, before
he could enter in the Most Holy Place to sprinkle the blood of atonement
on the mercy seat for the people, he had to sprinkle blood for himself on that
same mercy seat. But this posed a problem. How could he sprinkle this
blood? He had to sprinkle before he could enter. At the same time, he had to
enter before he could sprinkle! Let no one call this sophistry. God himself
posed this problem and solved it as well. Before he entered the Most Holy
Place for himself, the high priest had to wave incense ahead of him. This,
then, would provide him with “temporary coverage,” sufficient to complete
the required sprinkling that would enable him to enter with the atoning blood
for the people (Lev. 16:11-14).
In the NT the veil that shielded the Most Holy Place is gone and entrance
into the fellowship with God is guaranteed by the blood of Christ
(Rom. 5:2; Eph. 2:18; 3:12; Heb. 4:16), an evangelical privilege of the highest
order. Psalm 73:25-26 is a sample of the preciousness of such fellowship.
Especially against the backdrop of “the OT impossibility,” access in to the
presence of God should be savored and sought to the utmost. Seeking this
fellowship requires a new heart (Ps. 27:8a; Jer. 30:21; Mt. 6:20-21), is an act
of faith (Heb. 10:22), displays the thirst of the believer (Ps. 42:1-2; 63:1), and
needs the fabric of a holy life (Ps. 66:18; Prov. 28:9). The principal ways in
seeking this fellowship with God is the reading and assimilation of the Word
of God, and unceasing prayer (Ps. 145:18; Is. 58:9).
As has already been mentioned, but bears repetition, Anna is doubtless
the human paragon or archetype of any and all praying believers anywhere.
Conservatively speaking, she sought the presence of God in prayer over a period
of at least fifty years. Scripture testifies that she remained in the temple,
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