Good Morning! May God's word richly bless you and keep you - close to Him this day!
Acts 17:24-28 (NIV) The God Who made the world and everything in it is the Lord of heaven and earth and does not live in temples built by hands. And He is not served by human hands, as if He needed anything, because He Himself gives all men life and breath and everything else. From one man He made every nation of men, that they should inhabit the whole earth; and He determined the times set for them and the exact places where they should live. God did this so that men would seek Him and perhaps reach out for Him and find Him, though He is not far from each one of us. For in Him we live and move and have our being.
(the Message) …so we could seek after God, and not just grope around in the dark but actually find Him. He doesn’t play hide-and-seek with us. He’s not remote; He’s near.
What seems to “pop” off the page for me as I read these verses? That God does not play hide-and-seek with us. That is so reassuring.
There are moments in life...accidents – sicknesses – traumas – crisis – the moment when you open a piece of mail that contains devastating news...
when there is no time to ….. drive over to a church - or call a Pastor - or phone a friend - when there is no human solution ---
those moments in life when the only thing that a human can do is to call upon God.
And the beautiful promise?
He is near. He is not remote. He has revealed Himself to us in so many ways so that we could seek after Him and not grope around in the dark – but actually find Him.
No matter how far a person has wandered away from God…. No matter how many times a person has “put off” God… He doesn’t play hide-and-seek. He’s near.
I witnessed this through my mother-in-law this week after she was bit by a rattlesnake. For 10 hours she lay in the hospital bed in tremendous pain. Due to many reasons, they could not give her pain medicines quickly. The Doctors gave her anti-venom, but had to slowly give pain medicine. No human being could "fix" the pain. She could only call upon God in those hours to "save" her. To give her strength. Was He remote? Did He play hide-and-seek with her? Did she have to recite certain verses and formulas to find Him? NO! Because of His tremendous love for her (and us) He sent His Son - to die for her (us) - and to be raised to life for her (us) - and to conquer not just death - but to remove all the barriers between her (us) and God. So that at any second, in any circumstance, in sorrow, pain, and times of joy and thankfulness, we can call upon His Name and know that He is near.
This scripture was spoken by Paul in the Book of Acts thousands of years ago. Yet it is just as true for us today in 2013!
There is a prayer in the margin of my NIV Worship Bible along this section of Acts that I want to share with you today…
“Great, Loving, Merciful God, I praise You for making Yourself known to me. Yet even in Your disclosure – You remain a mystery. You cannot be contained – yet You dwell in my heart. You cannot be restrained – yet You wait for me to follow. You cannot be defined – yet You delight in my words of worship. You are more powerful than all the forces of nature combined – yet You are moved by the prayer of a child. You make all the rules – yet You love me without condition. You are more than life itself. You are what all of nature is trying to describe. O wonderful, awesome God, though now I see only a shadow of Your glory, I know that one day I will see You face-to-face.”
How do these verses impact your life today - September 19, 2013? What kind of comfort will you receive today knowing that the God of the Universe is not playing hide-and-seek with You? We would love to hear how God is near to you this day.
-dawn