God is Near

Acts 17:24-27  The God who made the world and everything in it is the Lord of heaven and earth and does not live in temples built by human hands. And he is not served by human hands, as if he needed anything. Rather, he himself gives everyone life and breath and everything else. From one man he made all the nations, that they should inhabit the whole earth; and he marked out their appointed times in history and the boundaries of their lands. 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.

            Last night my husband and I drove just west of our town and found a quiet spot on a dirt road to view the comet that has been visible in the early evenings hours. Technically, the comet’s official name is  Comet C/2023 A3 (Tsuchinshan-ATLAS)  That’s for all of you science buffs. But as I watched the skies it occurred to me that my Heavenly Father was present and watching for I truly acknowledge and believe that He is the Creator of all things, and by Him all things hold together.

            We build churches in which to worship but I wonder if we somehow think that’s the only place of true worship—a church building. If that is our subconscious thinking, then no wonder the lives we live during the week do not always match the life we live during a one-hour church service. God is not confined to a man made structure on earth, nor does the universe restrict or limit Him in any way; for He created it. He created heaven and earth. He created humans and gave them life, breath, and length of days. The history and boundaries of man marches on according to God’s will. And why would God do all this?

Acts 17:27  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.

Isaiah 56:6  Seek the LORD while he may be found; call upon him while he is near.

            Perhaps when we come to the realization that God IS, and that He is always near—perhaps then we will allow our worship to go beyond the confines of a one-hour weekly church service—perhaps then we will understand that every moment we have breath of life is an opportunity to worship the Loving God who created us.

 

Gracious Heavenly Father,

            I stand in awe of the beauty of your Creation. Forgive the times I fail to honor you or forget how near you are. Thank you for your mercy and love.

            In the name of Jesus Christ, my Lord and Savior, Amen.

 

The devotional God is Near appeared first on Write From My Heart at  

https://writefrommyheartblog.blogspot.com

email: Dotty Willmon, writefrommyheartblog@gmail.com

photo provided by T.G. Willmon, October 14, 2024

 

 

God Remains in Control

Daniel 2:19b-22 Then Daniel praised the God of heaven and said: “Praise be to the name of God for ever and ever; wisdom and power are his. He changes times and seasons; he deposes kings and raises up others. He gives wisdom to the wise and knowledge to the discerning. He reveals deep and hidden things; he knows what lies in darkness, and light dwells with him.”

            I am just barely old enough to remember the latter days of old time open-air camp meetings and tent revivals in New England. Although only a child at the time I do remember large sheets hanging up as backdrops. On these sheets were drawn enlarged versions of prophetic timelines and artwork depicting statues and creatures with appropriate labels and explanations of symbolism. You must remember that those were the days prior to power point presentations and videos which are even now outdated by forms of AI. Perhaps this is what sparked an interest in prophecy within me at such an early age. Now to be clear, I know very little about the prophecies in the Bible and I generally depend heavily upon the writings of others for meaning. Yet I am still drawn to books such as Daniel and Revelation and find them captivating.

            Today’s passage is actually poetic in form and reveals a hymn of praise from Daniel to God. I am frequently drawn to this particular passage for its simplicity of acknowledging that God stands in control of all things. Daniel first recognizes the power of God, Creator of heavens and provider of wisdom. He gives tribute to God as the source of control over all things: times, seasons, rulers, light. Yet Daniel reaches further to acknowledge that where there is wisdom; it is God who is the source and provider.

            When our thoughts spiral out of control, when our calendars are filled to capacity and beyond, when our relationships are stretched to breaking points…what a comfort to know that God remains in control if we will only pause and turn to Him. Our lack of understanding and need for wisdom can be filled by the loving and merciful God who created us.

 

Gracious Heavenly Father,

            Fill us with the amount of wisdom you trust us to handle correctly. Reassure us that you remain in control of all things. Forgive us when we stray from your guidance and draw us closer to you.

            In the name of Jesus Christ, our Lord and Savior, Amen.

 

The devotional God Remains in Control appeared first on Write From My Heart at  

https://writefrommyheartblog.blogspot.com

email: Dotty Willmon, writefrommyheartblog@gmail.com

 

Peace is Presence

Isaiah 26:3-4, 12  You will keep in perfect peace those whose minds are steadfast, because they trust in you. Trust in the LORD forever, for the LORD, the LORD himself, is the Rock eternal. … LORD, you establish peace for us; all that we have accomplished you have done for us.

Colossians 3:15  Let the peace of Christ rule in your hearts, since as members of one body you were called to peace. And be thankful.

Philippians 4:7  And the peace of God, which transcends all understanding, will guard your hearts and your minds in Christ Jesus.

2 Thessalonians 3:16  Now may the Lord of peace himself give you peace at all times and in every way. The Lord be with all of you.

            We use the term peace and quiet to indicate an absence of sound. We use the term peace treaty to indicate an absence of war or conflict. And to be clear, those are correct usages of the term to define peace. Yet there is so much more to peace than simply an absence of what distracts or disturbs.

            As Christians we desire to be filled with God’s peace—a peace that the world does not, nor cannot, fully understand. Peace is not merely absence; it is presence. It is the presence of inner strength to keep going when you wonder if you can take another step or wake another day. It is the presence of calm in the midst of chaotic, troubling or overwhelming thoughts. It is the presence of reassurance when miles separate you from your loved ones. It is the presence of a loving Savior who knows and deeply cares about you no matter what you may be facing. It is the presence of a loving God who guards your heart and your mind—at all times and in every way.

Peace is Presence

Gracious Heavenly Father,

            I do not know what my readers are facing today. But I do know that your peace is the reassurance of your presence in their lives and in mine. For this we are humbly thankful.

            In the name of Jesus Christ, our Lord and Savior, Amen.

 

The devotional Peace is Presence appeared first on Write From My Heart at  

https://writefrommyheartblog.blogspot.com

email: Dotty Willmon, writefrommyheartblog@gmail.com