Good Monday morning! The PC has already booted 3 times today, so we'll see if I can sneak in the devotional writing. Sometimes things are not quite right with something. It could be very obvious like my PC thing, or it could be more subtle like a feeling that seems to have no definite fact or grounding to explain the cause. With machines we usually have no difficulty in seeing that something is wrong, even if the exact cause may not be that easy to nail down. With persons we may have a bit more difficulty. Is it the other person or is it me? When examining our feelings about our relationship with God we can have more difficulty still. However, the last one should not be as difficult as we make it.
We should all beware of basing our estimation of our spiritual condition based on our feelings. God caused His Word to be printed so that we can come back to it many times. Feel that something is wrong between you and God? Read the Law; have you avoided all sin and kept every rule? Nope, not one of us has. That cannot be the reason for God would have no right relationship with any of us. However, you may have unconfessed sin in your life that is getting in the way of your prayer. Not that God would hold up His mighty hand to block your requests, but that like Adam and Eve we might be hiding from our Lord because of that sin. In the end, you may feel out of sorts with God simply because you are looking to your feelings as a guide.
We know, and we have been reminded, and we know, and we know more, and we know further still that feelings are not a good guide... but we still at times think that God must not be listening to us because we don't feel quite right. Ten minutes later we may feel just fine. How could God be far away in the first place? God is omnipresent. He knows all things and is all powerful. No one can keep Him away from you or me. God places His own Holy Spirit within us at salvation. So how could God ever be far away from us? Yet, we feel far away, lost, not paid attention to, and other lonely things even though Jesus promised that He would never leave us nor forsake us. Paul reminded us, "The Lord is at hand. Be anxious for nothing!"
Hmm, it seems that what the Bible has to say about God's closeness to me is nothing at all like my feelings at times. Exactly! We know there is never anything wrong with God. A sin in my life may cause me to feel far away from God, and should be fixed with confession and a request of mercy and forgiveness. But God is never far away from us! You and I need never fear that God has turned away. Praise the Lord for a close relationship with our God and Father!
Have a great new week in Christ!
Bucky
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