God with us

“God did this so that they would seek him and perhaps reach out for him and find him, though he is not far from any one of us.” Acts‬ ‭17:27‬ ‭NIV‬‬

How often I hear people say, “I know God is always here but I need someone I can really talk to or feel, etc.” I think what they mean is that God is present, but only in an abstract or vague way. Since He is invisible, they assume that His presence is not really practically useful. It’s just a nice thought. But this is so far from what the Scriptures actually say, and what faithful disciples throughout the ages actually testify about. He is present in the real sense of the word. He is not theoretically present; He is actually present, which means that you and I can actually experience the practical implications of that. We can commune with Him, speak with Him, listen to Him, and do anything that any person can do when he or she is with another person. This is reality, not an abstract theology. The apostle Paul, at least in this verse, is actually saying that. Of course, there are many other verses in Scripture that say the same thing. He is not far from any of us! We can find Him, if we seek Him with all our hearts. He is not playing “hide and seek” with us. He wants us to find Him. Today, if your heart is longing for His presence, reach out to Him. You will be surprised to find out that He is just waiting for you. Shalom! (PB)