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Thursday, February 5, 2026

WHEN GOD SEEMS FAR AWAY!

 

Thursday, February 5, 2026

[a classic, previously presented]

 

WHEN GOD SEEMS FAR AWAY!

 

Ps 35:22

O LORD: keep not silence: O Lord, be not far from me.

 

Acts 17:25-28

…he giveth to all life, and breath, and all things;

26 And hath made of one blood all nations of men for to dwell on all the face of the earth, and hath determined the times before appointed, and the bounds of their habitation;

27 That they should seek the Lord, if haply they might feel after him, and find him, though he be not far from every one of us:

28 For in him we live, and move, and have our being…

 

The most difficult times for me are those times when God seems far away. Oh, I know with my mind that He is everywhere and that He is near, even in my heart, but there are times when I need Him so badly to be within reach. I need to sense His presence, and I need to hear his voice. Like a child who pillows his head on his mother’s breast I need to feel His breath on my cheek. Many are the times when my soul cries out to God for the comfort of His presence.

 

Many are the songs that have been written and sung about our human longing for the divine. “Abide with me” is one and “Nearer my God to Thee” is another of the songs that remind us of the great gulf that sin has now fixed between us and our God. Yet our very soul was made for fellowship with Him as Adam enjoyed in the cool of the evening.

 

Job deeply felt the absence of God although God was every moment observing his calamity. It may seem cruel to us but God had set in motion a test for Job that would put Satan to open shame. Job was required to remain faithful to an absentee God. So it seems often with us. We feel that we must walk the trail of tears alone yet God is there and He will arrive just in time.

 

Ps 56:3

3 What time I am afraid, I will trust in thee.

 

Dear Lord, I know with my head that Thou art there, but my spirit needs Thee now. Be not far from me. AMEN

 

Wednesday, February 4, 2026

HAPPY DANCE!

 

Wednesday, February 4, 2026

 

HAPPY DANCE!

 

Ps 149:1-4

149 Praise ye the Lord. Sing unto the Lord  a new song, and his praise in the congregation of saints.

2 Let Israel rejoice in him that made him: let the children of Zion be joyful in their King.

3 Let them praise his name in the dance: let them sing praises unto him with the timbrel and harp.

4 For the Lord  taketh pleasure in his people: he will beautify the meek with salvation.

 

          We Baptists don’t do much dancing. We are a staunch bunch having been handed down a set of proper actions and attitudes that presumably came from John the Baptist himself. However, if we hear good news, and no one is watching, we may break into a little jig. This happy dance pre-dates John and goes all the way back to King David who danced before the returning Ark of the Lord (2 Samuel 6:14).

 

          Israel was told to dance and give vent to their joy because the Lord takes pleasure in His people. He likes us! He loves us! He enjoys us! The God who invented DNA, the God who made it all happen and holds it all together takes pleasure in us. We make God happy!

 

          I don’t dance much because I am heavy on my two left feet, but when I enter that glorious kingdom I may just break into my Happy Dance!

 

Jer 31:13

13 Then shall the virgin rejoice in the dance, both young men and old together: for I will turn their mourning into joy, and will comfort them, and make them rejoice from their sorrow.

 

Dear Lord, give joy and dancing to those who read these words this morning. Thank you for loving us. AMEN

 

Tuesday, February 3, 2026

THE GOD OF HOPE!

 

Tuesday, February 3, 2026

 

THE GOD OF HOPE!

 

Rom 15:13

13 Now the God of hope fill you with all joy and peace in believing, that ye may abound in hope, through the power of the Holy Ghost.

 

          Paul, writing to the Romans, offers multiple views of God. In Romans 15:5, He is the God of patience and consolation. The patience is His and the consolation is ours! Here the word “consolation” is paraklesis and is the same word that is translated “comforter” when Jesus promised the Holy Spirit in John 14:16. The word is made more powerful by using a definite article making it “THE consolation.” Consolation is in the person of Jesus Christ.

 

          He is the God of peace in Romans 15:33 and the word “peace” is eirene and indicates both quietness and prosperity. It also is preceded by a definite article which makes it “THE peace.” Peace, both quietness and prosperity, is in the person of Jesus Christ.

 

          In our text this morning, He is the God of hope. Here hope is elpis (el-pece’) and means both expectation and confidence. Once again it is forcefully preceded by a definite article. The hope that we have in eternity is an expectant hope. It is like an “expectant” mother large with child. She is confident of delivery but uncertain of the date! Many signs, both visible and known only to her, assure her that her hope is well founded.

 

Dear Father, all around us are signs and evidence of your soon coming. Inside us also there is confidence that our hope is well founded. Thank you, Lord, that our hope, our peace and our consolation is firmly grounded in you. AMEN