I was walking the dog the other day and saw something in the distance. I couldn’t quite make it out but since I try to avoid unnecessary encounters with other dogs in the neighborhood I was trying to see if it was a dog. It was the right size but there was no leash or owner- which brought more concern if it was an animal. It didn’t move so I eased close enough to see that it was a fire hydrant. That ensued a chuckle as we stayed our course.
One evening recently, I met some friends for dinner and as I approached the front door there was a goose- he stood so still I wasn’t completely sure if he was real. But as I got closer, he let his wild side show with a little hiss for each customer that approached. He was like the Walmart greeter only not as friendly.
On my run a few days later I noticed something in the distance walking down the sidewalk on the side street – a duck. I confirmed as I ran past, and it flew to the next street over and landed in the middle of the road.
As I rounded the corner coming back from the big loop around the hood, I again saw something on the sidewalk close to the street where the duck had been. I tried to see if it was indeed the duck or another animal and as I neared it the image became clearer- once again fooled by a fire hydrant.
Now I know my vision isn’t what it used to be, and I have had several issues with that of recent, but one would think I could tell an inanimate object form a live animal. I had to get close enough to know if it was friend or foe, alive or not.
All these things began to come together in my mind. This is how I used to see God. From a distance. If we see God as only an ominous figure above the clouds and never get close enough to experience Him as a friend- we are missing out on a beautiful relationship. The most important relationship of our lives.
He not only helps us make the best choices for ourselves, but we can stand on His promises for a better life ahead. But we won’t know what those promises are or how to make the best choices if we aren’t close enough to Him to ask. He wants us to have a Father/child relationship and that requires us to be close enough to Him to not be afraid to ask what He wants for us and actively listen to His responses.
Maybe the better question is: Are you alive…in Christ? Do you have a close relationship with God or are you keeping your distance and can’t quite make out who He is? He wants you to come take a closer look. Get to know Him as the Father that He is.
So you also should consider yourselves to be dead to the power of sin and alive to God through Christ Jesus. Romans 6:11
Faith Walk Ministries, Inc. 