April 07, 2021: God's Closeness in Our Lives Depends Upon Our Daily Choices We Make Every Day.

Today's topic in "Our Daily Bread", entitled: "Through Thick and Thin", addresses the relationship of the people of Israel and God. Since their exodus from Egypt, God had made Himself known to them in many ways. God had performed signs and wonders prior to their leaving Egypt by the many plagues God brought upon Pharaoh and the people of Egypt.

After their departure of Egypt, the Israelites experienced God presence daily in either a pillar of cloud by day or a pillar of fire by night. The Israelites never question if God was present in their life, He showed Himself continuously to them.

Exodus: 40: 36-38

In all the travels of the Israelites, whenever the cloud lifted from above the tabernacle, they would set out; 37 but if the cloud did not lift, they did not set out—until the day it lifted. 38 So the cloud of the Lord was over the tabernacle by day, and fire was in the cloud by night, in the sight of all the Israelites during all their travels.

We too can experience a closeness with our God. Maybe not as visual as the Israelites had, but in many ways, God shows Himself to us through His Holy Spirit living in us. The other ways God shows us is by His nature...experience a stunning sunset or a place of meditation in nature that gives us an overwhelming sense that He is nearby. Some people call these moments “thin places.” The barrier separating heaven and earth seems to grow a little thinner. God feels a little closer.

As we enjoy the incredible beauty of God’s creation, we grow conscious that He is present everywhere. As we talk with Him in prayer, listen to Him, and read the Scriptures, we can enjoy fellowship with Him anytime and anywhere.

All this begins with us first. We must want to have a relationship with our Lord and God. We cannot come before God with any pride or sin in our hearts. We must come before our God fully broken and "absolutely surrendered". If we come to Him in this way, broken and surrendered, we will begin to experience His daily presence in our lives. We will not be second guessing if He's truly there, we will know He is.

James 4: 8 (NKJV)

Draw near to God and He will draw near to you. Cleanse your hands, you sinners; and purify your hearts, you double-minded.

PERSONNAL COMMENT:

To experience God in this way, takes great effort and work on our part as Christians. We must be in God's word daily. We must work at keeping our hearts clean before God. Sin and temptation are constantly all around us. Let our choices we make every day be the right ones so that our closeness with God is constant and uninterrupted.