on feeling far from God

Today’s devotion was written by Anne Marie Miller (http://www.annemariemiller.com), and I pray what she shares about being far from God challenges you as it did me. Read on:

For When You Feel Far From God

I know I’ve probably said these things a million times before.

--- I feel so far away from God.

--- Those were the years where I went far from God.

--- My friend, he’s just so far from God right now.

Maybe it’s you. Maybe you’re in a season where God feels separate, distant, unreachable.

Maybe your son or your daughter, your sister or you mother or you uncle or your best friend or your spouse has gone off track.

It dawned on me recently that

we can’t be far from God.

I’ve seen it on bumper stickers and t-shirts and heard it in sermons: “If you feel far from God, guess who moved?” as if to imply that we’ve chosen a path that causes God to stand still as we walk away.

God does not do that.

God does not stand still and watch us leave.

It is in our nature to walk away, to run away, to hide.

It is in God’s nature to pursue.

He never leaves.

Romans 8:38-39 says For I am convinced that neither death nor life, neither angels nor demons, neither the present nor the future, nor any powers, neither height nor depth, nor anything else in all creation, will be able to separate us from the love of God that is in Christ Jesus our Lord.

Nothing can separate us.

God’s love, His presence, is closer to us than our own skin. Nothing in present or the future (realize it doesn’t say past: that’s because God chose not to remember our past), no person or entity, even our death can separate us from the love of God.

Just try leaving Him behind.

You can’t.

Embrace that truth today. Although in your heart you may feel forgotten, shameful, even convicted,

GOD IS WITH YOU.

And there’s nothing you can do to change that.

Ever.

(Follow Anne Marie Miller on twitter at @girlnamedanne or on Facebook at girlnamedanne)

Catalyst ticket arrived

My ticket to the Catalyst Conference, in Atlanta Oct 8-10, just arrived. I'm excited!

Have you heard of EDITH BURNS?

Edith Burns was a wonderful Christian who lived in San Antonio, Texas . She was the patient of a doctor by the name of Will Phillips. Dr. Phillips was a gentle doctor who saw patients as people. His favorite patient was Edith Burns. One morning he went to his office with a heavy heart and it was because of Edith Burns. When he walked into that waiting room, there sat Edith with her big black Bible in her lap earnestly talking to a young mother sitting beside her. Edith Burns had a habit of introducing herself in this way: "Hello, my name is Edith Burns. Do you believe in Easter?" Then she would explain the meaning of Easter, and many times people would be saved. Dr. Phillips walked into that office and there he saw the head nurse, Beverly. Beverly had first met Edith when she was taking her blood pressure. Edith began by saying,"My name is Edith Burns. Do you believe in Easter?" Beverly said, "Why yes I do." Edith said, "Well, what do you ...

wash feet, sharing hope

John 13:4-5,14 NLT So he got up from the table, took off his robe, wrapped a towel around his waist, 5 and poured water into a basin. Then he began to wash the disciples’ feet, drying them with the towel he had around him… 14 And since I, your Lord and Teacher, have washed your feet, you ought to wash each other’s feet. Jesus set the example we follow. He served. He valued and gave value to others. That is why we choose to serve. For 18 years our church has shared an outreach called back2school, and for 16 of those years we have chosen to give students brand new shoes and socks as well as washing their feet. It is one of the most important parts of this event. Washing feet is a humbling experience where both the give and the receiver learn how to share some moments that might change their lives. Jesus said we should do this. See the verse above. Follow His example, do what He did, and give far more than you will ever know....

Michael Harrison's e-devotion

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