God Wants to Be With You – August 15, 2022

“Am I only a God nearby,” declares the LORD, “and not a God far away? Who can hide in secret places so that I cannot see them?” declares the LORD. “Do not I fill heaven and earth?” declares the LORD.
Jeremiah 23:23,24

God Wants to Be With You

When Adam and Eve sinned in the Garden of Eden, they thought they could hide from God. They crouched behind bushes and out of sight. It was the first time that people were terrified of God, but it wouldn’t be the last.

When we sin, it triggers something in us called a conscience. Feelings of guilt, shame, dismay, and even terror overcome us.

We have those feelings when we sin because God has written his law on our hearts. We can try to run from God by eroding that law and dulling our consciences. We can even trick ourselves into believing that God does not care about us or what we do. But as God declares through Jeremiah, “Do not I fill heaven and earth?”

We choose to try to escape God, but God does not choose to escape us. And that is good news! Our sins make us repulsive to God, but instead of running away from us, God seeks us. As God sought Adam and Eve in the Garden of Eden, he looks for us lost sinners.

Instead of washing his hands of the mess of humanity, God decided to stay close. He wants to be with his people even though they sin and make mistakes. God even calls himself “Emmanuel—God with us.” God became like us. Jesus was born, lived a human life, and died a human death. Jesus did that because he does not want our death to separate us from him. Instead, he died to bring us to him in glory in heaven.

Until then, God is still near us. He guides us through life. He seeks us when we stray. He rejoices when he finds us. It’s all because he loves to be with us.

Prayer:
Dear God, thank you for finding me when I try to hide from you. Help me find comfort in your presence. Amen.