This word is submitted by Barbara Young (readywriter@marion.net)

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                      Come Closer

My child, I am calling you to draw closer to Me, and you would say, "But 
I have drawn near."  My child, I am inviting you to come closer and deeper 
into that secret, set-apart place in Me, away from the distractions of the 
world.  I love you so much that I am initiating this move.

If you are willing to choose Me, to prefer Me, to wrap yourself around 
Me, and come into a new place of communion with Me, with the supreme desire 
to know Me, and to worship Me, I want you to know that I, the Lord your God 
will choose you.  I will prefer you.  I will wrap Myself around you, and 
the two of us shall be one, in purpose and in beauty.  And there, in that 
place I am calling you to, I will anoint your eyes, and you shall see new 
facets of My glory that will astound you, and I will give you single vision.

And I will anoint your ears, and you will hear the beating of My heart, 
and I will trust you to take My heartbeat to the dark places where no light 
is.  And there, together, we will dispel the darkness with the light of 
My love.

My child, if your one purpose is to come into My presence so that you 
can know Me and worship Me for who I am, I will bless you and fill your 
life with good things.  I will answer you when you call, I will show you 
awesome deeds of righteousness.  I will honor you before men because you 
have honored Me.  I will choose you as a vessel of honor for Me, in which 
to display My glory to the world.

And you would say, "Lord, knowing this, who would not want to choose 
You, and draw closer to You?"

My child, I have called many to come closer, and many have heard My call.  
But they came and took the gifts I so freely gave, and they have taken 
those same gifts and ran with them, and they have taken them to places I 
have not sent them; and they have taken My glory for themselves, to 
profit with.

Not many, My child, are willing to lay themselves on the altar and become 
a living sacrifice that I so desire, and that I must have, in order to fill 
them with My glory.

Know for sure...this is the one I choose...the one who is listening 
for My voice, the one who will come when I call, the one who is willing 
to lay aside all the garments of the self-life, the one who will come 
deeper so that I can wrap Myself around them, and cover them with the robe 
of My righteousness.

Will you come closer?  Will you be the one I choose to bring into My inner 
chamber?  Remember My Word, "Many are called, but few are chosen."  (Matthew 
22:14.)

My child, if you will heed My voice and come closer, "I will fill you with 
the good things of My house," (Psalm 65:4), and, "I will give you the 
treasures of darkness, riches stored in secret places, so that you may 
know that I am the Lord, the God of Israel, who summons you by name."  
(Isaiah 45:3.)