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God Is Nearer Than We Think!

Many folks spend the entirety of their lives unsuccessfully “searching” for God by whatever means “they” determine, when He is not hiding from any of us. Quite the contrary, “The LORD is near to all who call upon Him, To all who call upon Him in truth” (Psalm 145:18; cf. Deuteronomy 4:29).

You see, the answer is that we must call upon Him “in truth” – by His standard of truth rather than our own (Romans 10:3; cf. Ezekiel 33:13). God will not come to us, nor accede to our demands concerning “where” we will meet Him. To extend the analogy, He will not “move” closer to us; we must be willing to “come to Him” (Matthew 11:28).

Paul wrote to the saints at Rome, “Salvation is nearer than when we first believed” (Romans 13:11), thus salvation is nearer the lost souls of this world than they realize. A look into God’s word will point them the way home (Acts 8:26-39; cf. Acts 17:11).

Unfortunately, most folks usually do not think about a source of help until they’re in dire straits, i.e. witness the rich man who died and found himself in torment in the afterlife (Luke 16:19-31). Suddenly he cried out for relief, but his disregard for spiritual things in life had landed him in a place where no relief was to be had.

If only he, like the poor beggar Lazarus, had turned to God while there was still an opportunity for salvation — he wouldn’t have found himself in that horrible place. In fact, we as Christians sometimes abjectly ignore Him until we find ourselves in some desperate situation that compels us to cry out to God (cf. 2 Samuel 22:5-7). Then, all too often, it’s too late.

As God’s people, we can be assured of finding our Source of help, because, “He is not far from each one of us” (Acts 17:27). In Jeremiah 23:23-24, God pronounces Himself “a God near at hand, and not a God afar off.” He asks, “Do I not fill heaven and earth?”

God encourages us to, “seek the LORD while He may be found; call upon Him while He is near” (Isaiah 55:6), and assures us that, “If you seek Him, He will be found by you” (1 Chronicles 28:9).