Drawing Near

“Be not far from Me, for trouble is near; for there is none to help.”—Psalm 22:11

Thomas Kingo had compassion for the Danish people. Known as a great poet, he also was a committed believer. One of his personal concerns was that so little about the Bible and the Christian faith was available in the Danish language.

Seeking to address this deficiency, many of his poems focused on the Danish people and their history. Later he devoted himself almost entirely to writing hymns in Danish.

The results were widely praised. One critic commented that his hymns were an exceptional phenomenon, uniting inspiring words with memorable music. The result was one of the “greatest miracles of the seventeenth century.”

In 1677, Kingo was appointed a church bishop. Among his assignments was to compile a new hymnbook. This hymnal reflected his desire to promote hymns that were understandable to common people and contained many of his own compositions. So thoroughly did he invest himself in this project that it became known as Kingo’s hymnal.

One of his most popular hymns was “Dearest Jesus, Draw Thou Near Me.” Kingo encouraged believers to develop a personal relationship with Jesus. He asked Jesus to guide him and help him be sensitive to His leading. He wanted to dwell with Jesus, guided and protected by the Spirit, rooting out anything that would tempt him to stray.

Make it your prayer to draw near to Jesus and develop a more intimate and personal relationship with Him.

Reflection Question: Compose a prayer seeking greater intimacy with your Heavenly Father.