Does God seem far, far away?
By Sheryl Boldt
The rain pounded my windshield. Suddenly, my car hydroplaned and skidded off the road into the swelling pond. Water swirled around my ankles, then my knees, then my waist as my heart pounded in my chest.
I struggled hopelessly with the windows. I pounded on the glass, but nothing happened. The water covered my mouth, then my nose. I needed air. Only minutes before, I’d taken breathing for granted. Now it was all I could think about. I had to have air – quickly – or I was going to die.
I bolted awake with a gasp. As I struggled to catch my breath, I knew … I’d never again take air for granted.
Keep my dream in mind as you read this week’s powerful verse: “Then you will seek Me, inquire for, and require Me [as a vital necessity] and find Me when you search for Me with all your heart” (Jeremiah 29:13 AMPC).
What would happen if we did this? If we sought God, asked Him for counsel and direction, and realized our total dependence on Him – as much as we need air?
Whether we feel as though God is a million miles away or we feel confident of His presence, wouldn’t pursuing Him with this kind of humility and dependence deepen our relationship with Him?
God’s grace and power are bigger than we can comprehend. When we head in the wrong direction and feel powerless to change, we can find hope. If we read and meditate on His Word, God will transform our lives and give us purpose (a reason to get up each day). He’ll renew our relationships. Best of all, He’ll help us fall more in love with Him than ever before.
Let’s never again take God for granted – or seek Him only during our desperate moments. Instead, let’s experience the extraordinary joy of witnessing the changes our heavenly Father will do in – and through – us. Let’s take note as He reveals Himself in ways we’ve never thought possible and as our hearts become more and more confident that God is very near, indeed.
As we enter the Lenten season, let’s see what happens in our hearts and lives when we seek God as desperately as we seek the air we breathe.
Sheryl H. Boldt writes fiction and non-fiction for children and adults. Her weekly devotions have appeared in newspapers across the South since 2014. She is also the author of the blog, www.TodayCanBeDifferent.net. Connect with her at [email protected].
