We often hear the tragic report
from folks who divorce … “we just grew apart.”
It always sounds like something happened as a consequence of
inaction. But when two people start
together, to become apart, something active needs to happen. That is, movement away from one
another. There is no other way to create
distance. In most cases that I’m aware
of, it always seems that both people move in different directions. Rarely is it one person moving. No matter how you slice it, though, it’s
tragic, destructive, and sad.
The same holds true when we
feel like become distant from God … that is, it’s tragic, destructive, and
sad. It’s not the same, however, in the
sense of how that distance comes to be.
My reading this week as I continue through the Old Testament this year,
gave me a strong reminder of this.
Reading through Zechariah 5 – 11, Psalms 122 – 128, and Jeremiah 23 –
29, I came across a very familiar section in Jeremiah 29 that got my
attention. In Jeremiah 29:12 – 14, we’re
told …
In those days when you pray, I will listen. If you look for me wholeheartedly, you will
find me. I will be found by you,” says
the Lord. “I will end your captivity and
restore your fortunes. I will gather you
out of the nations where I sent you and will bring you home again to your own
land.”
I don’t know about you, but
there have been a number of times in my life when I’ve felt distant from God,
like we’d grown apart. Certainly,
before I accepted Christ as my Savior … I was, by definition, apart from Him. But even since that 13th day of December
1999, there have been times when I’ve felt distant from God. What does that mean? Well, much the same as it can mean in human
relationships. The sense that you’re not
on the same page. The lack of
communication. The feeling of
closeness. Being in sync with one
another. Absence of enjoyment even when
in contact with one another. Behaving in
ways contrary to what we know the other person prefers or desires. Of course, these are all symptoms to a
greater problem.
Finding symptoms isn’t
helpful unless we can also determine the cause of the issue. So, what makes us feel distant from God? It’s clear from scripture, particularly the
scripture cited above from Jeremiah … when we feel distant from God, it’s
because WE MOVED. How do I know
that? Because God’s Word tells us that
He doesn’t move away from us. He doesn’t
leave us or neglect us (Deuteronomy 31:6).
He is with us wherever we go (Joshua 1:9).
When we start off close and
together, distance can only be created when someone moves. If God doesn’t move away from us, then we
must have moved away from Him. We create
the distance. We walk away. How do we do this? It’s a good question, because I’m not sure
that we necessarily intentionally walk away and create distance between God and
us. But clearly, something had to happen
… or not happen. What?
What God most desires from us
is simple. It’s a relationship. Closeness.
That relationship comes from interaction … closeness comes from contact. Intimacy comes from getting to know about someone
in a deep and meaningful way. With God,
interaction comes from prayer and listening to His voice; contact comes from
fellowship with other believers and growing together in faith; getting to know
God comes from reading and studying His Word.
Of course, then, the absence of those creates distance and
aloneness.
Jeremiah reminds us of
something crucial though. Our natures as
humans often creates in us a false self-sufficiency that pulls us away from
God. To some extent, it’s inevitable. Jeremiah’s conveyance of God’s words,
however, gives us hope in an indelible promise from God … “when you pray, I
will listen. If you look for me
wholeheartedly, you will find me. I will
be found by you …” We don’t have to do
anything but pray … and wholeheartedly seek Him. In other words, move back to Him. He’s still there … where He was when we
walked away. God never, ever moves away
from us. Ever.
If there’s any part of our
lives that feels distant from God, move closer to Him. Go back to Him. He’s right where we left Him. He wants closeness, intimacy, friendship with
us.
Let’s start by asking God
this week in prayer to show us any areas ... if not our self in its entirety …
that need us to move back to Him. He’s
there, just waiting. He hasn’t budged an
inch. Can we grasp the gravity of that …
even if we’ve left Him jilted standing in the same place where He was … He is
faithfully, lovingly, dutifully, graciously still there. Just waiting.
He hasn’t flinched in the least.
That is how much He loves you and me.
Standing right here with Him,
MR
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