Take a Step Toward God : He Runs Into Your Arms

Introduction

That Sunday, Brendan White opened the year 2026 with a simple text, James 4:8: "Draw near to God and He will draw near to you." He shared the image of his three daughters learning to walk in his mother-in-law's living room: they were held by their mom, then they took a little step, then another, and just as they were about to fall, they lunged into their daddy's arms. This is the image he applies to your Christian life this year. God is waiting for you to take a step, to cry out, to reach out your hand and come to Him.

Message Outline

1. Drawing near means crying out to Jesus in the storm (Mark 6)

• The disciples are rowing in the middle of the lake, the wind is against them, evening has come.
• Jesus comes to them walking on the water, and Brendan highlights this detail from the text: He was about to pass them by.
• Frightened, they think they see a ghost and cry out; Jesus speaks to them and the wind dies down.
• Sometimes God is simply waiting for you to cry out to Him so He can get into your boat and change the situation.

2. Drawing near means pushing through the crowd (Mark 5)

• A suffering woman had spent all her money to be healed, and nothing had worked.
• When she hears about Jesus, she says to herself, "If I can just touch His garment, I will be healed," and she pushes her way through the crowd to do it.
• Jesus stops and asks, "Who touched me?" Her faith caught Jesus' attention in the middle of the multitude.
• "Daughter, your faith has made you well. Go in peace and be freed from your suffering."

3. Drawing near means removing what gets in the way (Exodus 3, Luke 19)

• Moses sees a burning bush and turns aside, curious, to go look.
• God tells him, "Do not come any closer. Take off your sandals." Drawing near requires removing certain things.
• Zacchaeus, despite his small stature and his status, lets all of that go and climbs a tree to see Jesus.
• This year, God may want to transform your mindset and have you set down what you have been carrying for too long.

4. Drawing near means learning to call Him "Father" (Matthew 6, Romans 8)

• In the Lord's Prayer, Jesus teaches you to pray from the intimate relationship He has with His Father.
• Genesis 3: after the fall, God's first question to Adam is not a judgment, it is a call. "Where are you?"
• Romans 8:15: You did not receive a spirit of slavery to fall back into fear, but you received the Spirit of adoption, by whom you cry, "Abba, Father."
• "Our Father who is in heaven" is not a matter of distance, it is a dimension. It is a throne of grace that you can approach with confidence.

Key Takeaways

• The first step is yours: God does not force the door open, He waits for you to turn toward Him.
• Your fear does not need to disappear before you cry out. It is often in the heart of fear that Jesus gets into your boat.
• The faith that touches Jesus in the crowd is the kind that refuses to wait for perfect circumstances before acting.
• Some things you carry need to fall away so you can move forward, like Moses' sandals before the bush.
• Your image of God as Father may have been damaged by an imperfect earthly father, but Jesus invites you to rediscover a heavenly Father who wants to draw near to you.

Personal Application

1. What "small step" is God waiting for you to take this week to draw near to Him?
2. Is there a situation where you are letting fear dictate the terms rather than crying out to Jesus?
3. What "crowd" (what opinions, what human obstacles), do you need to push through to touch Jesus?
4. What is God asking you to take off your feet to approach His presence in 2026?
5. How does your image of the heavenly Father differ from that of your earthly father, and which of the two are you nurturing the most right now?

Verses Cited

• James 4:8 · Draw near to God and He will draw near to you
• Mark 6:45-52 · Jesus walks on the water
• Mark 5:25-34 · The woman who touches Jesus' garment
• Exodus 3:1-6 · Moses and the burning bush
• Luke 19:1-10 · Zacchaeus climbs the sycamore tree
• Matthew 6:9-13 · The Lord's Prayer
• Genesis 3:9 · Where are you?
• Romans 8:15 · A Spirit of adoption by whom we cry Abba, Father

Frequently Asked Questions

Why was Jesus "about to pass them by" in Mark 6 when the disciples were in the middle of a storm?

Brendan highlights this detail that the text states plainly. It is not that Jesus does not care. He is waiting for a cry. He wants to be invited into the boat, He wants fear to become prayer. As soon as the disciples cry out, Jesus speaks to them and the wind dies down. Your prayer does not need to be well-worded, it needs to be addressed.

What does "Abba, Father" mean in Romans 8:15?

Brendan reminds us that you did not receive a spirit of slavery to fall back into fear, but a Spirit of adoption by whom you cry out to God. It is no longer a religion at arm's length, it is an adoption. "Our Father who is in heaven" is not a matter of distance but a dimension, and you can come before His throne with confidence because it is a throne of grace.

How do you draw near to God when you don't "feel" anything?

The sermon is very practical on this point. Drawing near is first a step, not an emotion. Brendan names four postures that set you in motion: crying out in fear (Mark 6), pushing through the crowd (Mark 5), removing what gets in the way (Exodus 3, Luke 19), and rediscovering God as Father (Matthew 6). Take one of these steps this week and let God respond.