Not far

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 worshipped 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 all 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; -Acts 17.24-27

One of the goals of religion has been to try to bring man and whatever god the religion follows closer together. Societies have always felt that there as a gap there that must be fixed.

Here we find out why that is. God created all men in such a way that they would always seek Him. Romans 1 tells us that He has made Himself manifest through His creation so that all men are without excuse.

And here God goes one step farther. He not only made man to seek Him, but he is not far off. God made Himself available and He made Himself close. This on its own is an amazing truth. While man normally tries to distance himself from all that is ugly and dirty and unseemly God draws right up close for sinful man to find Him.

I spoke to a man on my walk this morning. He loves dogs and didn’t know Jingo had died. When I told him how he launched into a tirade against Ireland, drivers, laws, the Catholic Church, and the God he said he did not believe in. When I mentioned that I did believe in God he angrily went off again this time on religion and the abuses of the Catholic Church here in Ireland.

  

When I had a chance I explained to him that I have a personal relationship with God and that God feels the same way he does about a lot of this stuff. God hates it when people are more concerned with their religion than show love and compassion to others. I told Him that what God expects His people to do is to let justice flow like a river and righteous come out like a refreshing stream.

He politely but quickly said his good-byes and went on his way.

The problem is that this gentleman does not see God at all. He chooses to not see Him. Some other people try extra hard to reach out to God because they seem Him as far, far away.

But the truth is that God is right there. He is not far off. He is close by for anyone who will look for Him and call out to Him.

God made us God seekers. He wants us to been in fellowship with Him. He is right there and will respond if we simply call out to Him.

The prophet Isaiah has the answer.

Seek the LORD while He may be found, Call upon Him while He is near. – Isaiah 55.6