God is closer than you think

For Noah it was a rainbow. For Abraham it was circumcision. For Moses it was a burning bush. But for all of them, they had an outward, tangible sign that God was present and that He would in fact fulfill His covenant promise. They were just like us. They needed something that made the invisible God, visible. We have all been stumped in our everyday lives playing “Where’s Waldo?” with the God of the universe who is invisible, inaudible, and untouchable. A visible sign helped them to remember that God is closer than we think.

God being present and alive in the everyday, ordinary moments of our life can be an elusive reality. Living in an imperfect world can lead us into a “hide and seek” game with God. Whether it’s a distant marriage, unexpected test result, stress at work, a job loss, or a rebellious teen, there’s never a burning bush when you need one. The weaknesses, flaws, and defects in our own lives are enough to throw us into a spiritual tailspin of pain and confusion … right in time for Christmas.

It was the angel that came to Joseph in a dream and left him with this life changing truth:

Matthew 1:23

“The virgin will conceive and give birth to a son, and they will call him Immanuel”(which means “God with us”).

God’s presence is the game changer. It’s the factor that can change the way every day of our lives unfold. God is not responsible for every tragedy and setback we experience. Nor has He determined every plight. But make no mistake …. He will never waste them. He will draw us close to Himself in our imperfect moments. It is there that He will meet us. It is there that He will change.

God is here … and right on time for Christmas.