DAD'S RAMBLINGS -- GOD IS NEAR

DAD'S RAMBLINGS -- GOD IS NEAR

" 'God, who made the world and everything in it, since He is Lord of heaven and earth, does not dwell in temples made with hands. Nor is He worshiped with men's hands, as though He needed anything since He gives to all life, breath, and all things. And He has made from one blood every nation of men to dwell on the face of the earth, and has determined their preappointed times and the boundaries of their dwellings, so that they should seek the Lord, in the hope that they might grope for Him and find Him, though He is not far from each one of us; for in He we live and love and have our being….' " (Acts 17:24-28a)

I believe that in every culture and every life, there is a desire to know God. It is sometimes suppressed by a desire to live our own life without God. But tragic circumstances reveal the deep-seated desire to call out to God, even if in anger.

The Athenians, who placed emphasis on the intellectual side of life, expressed their desire for God by building objects of worship, with one even being dedicated to "THE UNKNOWN GOD." Even in their philosophy and worldly wisdom, they recognized that there was a god out there somewhere.

Paul zeroed in on that understanding by saying that God is not far from us. He is not a god "out there" who is not involved in this world, who doesn't care about us. As Paul explained it, he focused on a God who created the world and everything in it, who gives us life and breath. In Him we live and move and have our being. God is intimately involved in our lives. His desire is that we acknowledge Him and seek Him.

So why does God seem to be absent from our world – so distant and unknown? It is not because He is not here, but that our spirits have been blinded by sin. Jesus came to open our eyes to the fact that He is here. He is Emmanuel – God with us. And we can have a relationship with Him that is intimate and alive.

To Believers who have put their faith in the Lord Jesus, God is alive and personal, and involved in their lives. They recognize His presence in all that He does. God is not just some force out there in space. He is our living, personal God Who cares deeply about us. Praise to the Lord, the Almighty, the king of creation. Oh, my soul, praise Him for He is my rock and salvation.

Love, Dad