God is Near Us!

I don’t know how many of you have (or have had) young children who have been involved in sports or hobbies, but one thing that is clear is a child’s desire to do something that brings pleasure to their parents. Often, as they get older, this desire isn’t seen.

I am so proud of my children, and the young men and women they have become (this is God working in their lives)! It is interesting, though, that they still seem to seek our approval and desire to make us proud.

This isn’t always the case…

Unfortunately, it seems like there are many who don’t get approval from their parents, and eventually no longer seek it (often acting as if their parents are no longer there). So often their actions take them to a place they themselves wish they had never gone.

How often do we act like God, our loving Father, isn’t there? Like He can’t see us? Like He doesn’t know what we’re doing or thinking?

In Acts 17, as Paul is speaking to the Athenians and lets them know that God does desire for us to seek Him, for He is not far from us (vs. 27).

We may be far from God, but He is always near us. He created us, and He loves us. We may fight this love, but His love is always near, and forgiveness is always a prayer away.

And in this He gives us opportunities to love Him back. We do this by sharing His love in action and word. And He gives us opportunities to serve Him in our work or school, in our communities, and in our church.

I wonder how many blessings we miss out on because we choose not to take the opportunities He gives us to show our love for Him.

Lord, You love us and are always there for us. You give us opportunities to grow in our knowledge of You, and to joyfully serve You in the places You have called us to be. How often do we miss out on blessings that are readily available to us because we are caught up in things that don’t have eternal consequences? Help us to take the opportunities that You give us to learn and to love You back, and may You be glorified through them we pray, in Jesus Name!