Draw Near

 “Let us know; let us press on to know the Lord.

His coming is as certain as the dawn;

He will come to us like the rain,

like the spring rains that water the earth.”

—Hosea 6:3 (NASB)

That evening  I didn’t go hunting for this verse in Hosea on my own. A friend brought it up to me not long ago, just in normal conversation, and I went back later and read it for myself. As I did, something on the inside of me burned in a way that’s hard to explain—what the old saints used to call “being quickened in your spirit.” I knew right then the Lord was putting a little check mark next to that verse just for me.

It is only a sentence. 

It carries the power of the Holy Spirit: 

“Let us press on to know the Lord.”

Press on.

Keep moving.

Lean forward.

Don’t let comfort lull you.

Don’t let discouragement freeze you in place.

Don’t let yesterday’s failure convince you that tomorrow is already lost.

Press on.

Hosea spoke these words to a people who had drifted away from God without even realizing how far they had wandered. Their hearts were divided. Their worship had grown thin. Their prayers were a whisper. They still belonged to God… but something precious had faded.

Sound familiar, dear one?

Sometimes the distance between us and the Lord doesn’t come from rebellion. Sometimes it comes from fatigue. Life gets loud. Responsibilities pile high. Wounds accumulate. And little by little, without meaning to, the fire cools.

But Hosea stands on the pages of Scripture like a watchman calling through the night:

“Don’t settle for a far-away God when He longs to be near.

Don’t stay in the shadows when His light is rising over you.

Press on. Chase Him. Seek Him. You’ll find Him.”

And then Hosea gives the most comforting promise:

“His coming is as certain as the dawn.”

Think about that.

Every morning… without fail… light breaks through darkness.

Even on cloudy days.

Even when you can’t see the sun.

Even when the night felt endless.

The dawn always arrives.

So does God.

When you lift your heart toward Him—even with trembling hands and weak prayers—He comes. He draws near. He leans in. Maybe you don’t feel it right away. Maybe it begins as a quiet warmth in the soul. But beloved, His presence moves toward the one who seeks Him. It’s His nature to come.

And then Hosea adds one more picture, soft and beautiful:

“He will come to us like the rain.”

Not like a storm.

Not like a hammer.

Not like condemnation.

Like rain.

Gentle enough to soften hard ground.

Strong enough to awaken buried seeds.

Steady enough to turn a barren field into a garden again.

Maybe that’s what your heart needs today—not a lecture, not a rebuke…

just rain.

Rain that washes off the dust.

Rain that restores tenderness.

Rain that nourishes dry places you haven’t touched in a long time.

Rain that whispers, “I am still here… and I am not finished with you.”

Beloved, Hosea’s invitation is simple, but it reaches down into the secret place of the soul:

Press on.

Return again.

Seek Him again.

Pray again.

Hope again.

You’re not chasing a distant God.

You’re not pursuing a reluctant Father.

You’re running toward the One who is already running toward you.

The God who meets you in the morning.

The God who rains on thirsty hearts.

The God who delights to be found.

He is coming…

as surely as light breaks into darkness…

as surely as rain finds dry ground.

So come, dear one.

Take one small step toward Him.

Lift one honest prayer.

Whisper one simple desire.

Turn your face—just a little—and watch Him meet you in the turning.

He has never ignored a seeking heart.

And He will not ignore yours.

Beloved, if your spirit feels tired…

if your fire has dimmed…

if you feel far from the Lord and don’t know how to find your way back…

come.

If you’ve stopped praying because you felt unworthy…

come.

If your Bible has been closed for too long and you feel ashamed…

come.

If you want Him—but something inside you feels stuck or numb…

come.

Lift your hands.

Lift your eyes.

Lift your desire.

Say with Hosea,

“Lord, I’m pressing on to know You again. Let Your rain fall on me.”

And beloved… He will.

He surely will.

With Love,

Steve Porter

www.morningglorydevo.com