Have you noticed that life does not always go smoothly? In
times when things tumble out of place, when life gets overwhelming, or when
trouble arrives and brings lots of companions, we need help. Sometimes people
can do something to help, but often they are powerless. Husbands, as much as
they may care and want to help, may have no ability whatsoever to bring change.
Sending pastors, supporting pastors, family, and dear friends - those who would
ordinarily seem to be good sources of help - are far away. When no one is near
enough to intervene effectively, God is always near. When it seems you are
absolutely forgotten or utterly ignored by those who used to care or who seem
like they should care, God is still there.
As I meditated on this concept of God's nearness, one special
verse immediately came to mind. "Be not far from me; for trouble is near;
for there is none to help" (Psalm 22:11). In David's life, trouble was
near. It ran with him day after day and was his constant companion. David
acknowledged that the trouble was near; under those conditions, he needed God
to be near also. As much as trouble might seem to cling to us, like hair on a
staticky sweater, God can be even nearer. Oh, how we need God to be closer than
our problems!
There are times that we sense the nearness of God, and times
when His presence seems elusive. Regardless of what we feel, God IS near. He has
promised to be so. "For he hath said, I will never leave thee, nor forsake
thee" (Hebrews 13:5). On Mars Hill, Paul preached about unregenerate
mankind. "That they should seek the Lord, if haply they might feel after
him, and find him, though he be not far from every one of us" (Acts
17:27). Listen, God is close even to the unsaved. He is nearby, just waiting
for them to call to Him. Since that is the case, there should be no doubt
whatsoever that God is near to His dear children, those whom He loves deeply,
those who belong to Him. God is near!
I believe it was my childhood pastor who often made this
statement: "God is as near as a whispered prayer." I don't know if that
quotation was original to him or if he had borrowed it from another source, but
truly God is that close. The moment we open our mouth to call on God, even in
the most feeble and tremulous tones, He is there. He is listening. He is at our
side to hear and care and help. "The LORD is nigh unto all them that call
upon him, to all that call upon him in truth" (Psalm 145:18). That prayer
can be so simple. "Oh, God, help." We may not have time for more than
that, or we may be so overwhelmed that we don't know what else to say. God
hears that prayer. He sees what is in our hearts that we cannot put into words,
and in His nearness, He hears and supports and answers. God is near!
While God's nearness is a comforting reality, there is also
comfort in knowing that we can draw close (or closer) to God. I can't say I
completely understand that. If He is already committed to be constantly with
us, how can we get any closer? But we do understand that concept on the level
of human relationships. We can draw closer to others (or we might think of it
as a deepening of friendship). This can happen when we go through a shared experience
together, especially an intense situation. It can happen when we are reunited
with someone or begin spending more time together than we previously had. It
can happen when there was a rift or misunderstanding, and we "make
up." It can happen when one of us does something particularly special for
the other one.
Those factors seem to relate well to our relationship with
God. We can consciously lean on God and be more acutely aware of His presence
during a difficult time. We can in a sense "cuddle up" to Him,
purposefully reaching out to Him and spending time with Him. We can "clear
the air" by confessing sin, recommitting, and refocusing. We can make a
special sacrifice for Him, showing our love. Just as human relationships can
grow, and certain relationships become particularly special, so our
relationship with God can grow. "But it is good for me to draw near to God"
(Psalm 73:28). "Draw nigh to God, and he will draw nigh to you"
(James 4:8). He is always willing for that to happen. When I feel some distance
with God or start to doubt His nearness, I have to ask myself how much I have
been in His Word and how much I have been talking to Him and thinking about
Him. The answer is often sobering, because the reality is that God is near!
God's nearness means that we can go on. We can be faithful.
We can endure. There is a song by Mac Lynch that states "When God is near,
how can I stray? How can I falter? I'll stay upon the altar. I know my God is
near." Yes, He is near, and that assurance strengthens us to be true and
faithful, to remain dedicated to the one who is so special to us. I pray that
you will be aware of His nearness to you in whatever is happening right now,
and I pray for you the same that I pray for myself - that I would grow ever
closer to the One who longs to be so near to me.
Love in Christ,
Peggy Holtmember at Open Door Baptist Church in Lebanon, PA
www.pressingontohigherground.blogspot.com
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