Day 9

January 18 // Frank Hertkorn

Jeremiah 23:23 Am I a God at hand, declares the Lord, and not a God far away?

Hey Y’all watch this!!     Squirrel!!      Touchdown!!     Did he just make that dunk??

Nobody will ever know when I have nasty words for that driver next to me… God is watching!  Wow! I can really sing like/get into AC/DC, DMX, Post Malone… God is listening!

Where is Jesus in all of this?  Is God really seeing every little thing?

Through Jeremiah, God reminds Judah that ”I am a God at hand”.  To me this means He is with me with every breath I breathe, and He is with me all the times I hold my breath ”hoping” He is not watching.  In Jeremiah’s time there were many distractions to choose from… false prophets, false gods, many different idols.  Sometimes, we forget we worship a living God and not a carving or another human being.  God is ”not a God far away”.  He is a God that knows us, sees us, listens to us.

There are many times I place God in my back pocket and keep Him there until I need Him, or to be more honest, until I realize I made some wrong decisions.  However, when I ask, God always provides a way out from any hardship I place in front of me.  There is NO time that God is far away from me.  When I received God to be my Lord and Savior, I received the Holy Spirit who allows me to be in constant step with God.  

With Psalm 23 in mind …  God provides for me! When I am tired or this world takes my breath away, He lies with me to help me rest and abide in His word and His love.  He restores peace in me. He shows His love.  He reveals His will to me when I am lost.   When I face death and sickness in my life, when I am sitting at the bottom of the mountain, when I am confused and not sure what to think … I know I am not alone and all I have to do is reach out.  

Many times, I have felt God urging and pushing me on, helping me walk His walk not mine. When confronted, I call upon you Father and you have never let me down.  I move forward, I learn and I walk in your glory. Wherever I am, You are with me, Father.  I look and see You standing with me, whether it is through a small child,  a broken adult, or a granddaughter who you called back to heaven. You are a God at hand and You are a God that is never far away.

Father God, Thank you for your blessings, your mercy and especially your forgiveness.  Father, help us to never forget you are with us always, through the good and bad.  Help us to accept your loving reprimands as the people of Judah experienced in their exile. Help us to never forget that we are YOUR children and You are OUR God.

It is in Your name Lord, we pray. Amen, Halleluiah!