Job 35:10 “But no one says ‘Where is God my Maker, Who gives songs in the night.’”
Do you ever get “songs in the night” and wake up with the tune and lyrics stuck in your head? Me, too!
It happened the other day. I wish it would have been Mandisa’s “Shackles”, Mercy Me’s “Shake” or Big Daddy Weave. BUT NO-O-O-O-O-O. It was Bette Middler. Bette Middler?!? Where did that come from? I know this will anger some people, but I am very thankful that it wasn’t “The Rose” rolling around in my brain!
The music that kept playing was “From a Distance.” Over and over it played in my head, like a jukebox stuck on B17! Ohhhhh, the insanity!
God is watching us, God is watching us
God is watching us, From a distance …
God is watching us, God is watching us
God is watching us, From a distance …
To stop the music, I started thinking about the words. God is watching from a distance. WRONG (imagine needle scratching vinyl record here). Our God wants a relationship with each of us. He is a personal God!
He walked with Adam and Eve in the Garden of Eden: Genesis 3:8 “And they heard the sound of the Lord God walking in the garden in the cool of the day…”
God made them clothes from animal skins: Genesis 3:21 “And the Lord God made garments of skin for Adam and his wife, and clothed them.”
The Psalms tell us He doesn’t sleep while He watches over us, and He guards us when we leave and when we return (Ps. 121:3, 4, 8). God keeps track of our sorrows, and bottles up our tears (Ps. 56:8). Pretty hard to do from a distance.
Jesus felt someone touch His cloak. It was a woman who had been hemorrhaging for twelve years. He didn’t ignore her and continue walking. He stopped. He SAW her. He healed her (Mark 5:25-34). Right then, right there. Not from a distance (although He could have done that too!).
Jesus wept at Lazarus’ grave (John 11:35). He loved Lazarus (John 11:3). He wasn’t aloof with Lazarus, Mary or Martha. He had a relationship with them. That is what He wants with each of us.
I have a personal relationship with God through my faith and trust in His Son Jesus. The only time He feels distant, is when I hold Him at arms length. When I push away…stiff-arming Him.
I had a long season in my life, as a young adult, when I distanced God. But He was relentless. He wouldn’t let me go too far. He drew me back. And, like the prodigal son’s father, even when I was still a long way off, He ran to meet me. That bears repeating:
When I was far away, He ran to meet me.
Oh Lord! How thankful I am that You are an intimate God! You love me with an everlasting love. You see me, and You know me – up close and personal! You don’t watch from a distance. You draw me back to You. Thank You!
Photos by John Chauvin
That is so true. And put together so wonderfully, you have a God gifted talent, so glad you are being bold and sharing it.
Lol, Ellen. I had a Bette Midler song in my head last week, also. But it was “The Wind Beneath My Wings”. Now it’s “Let It Go”, which is very appropriate, because there is something I have to let go of. Another song I used to like was ,”If God was One of Us”. Very good article. Thank you so much for sharing your talent and His love.
Thank YOU, Michael!
Love the story, Ellen! I could actually see you scratching the record! And, yes. How marvelous it is that our God is right here with us, not far away. Thanks for reminding me of so many promises from His Word.
Thank you Sabra! Thanks for stopping by! Yes, I am constantly in awe of just how personal He is!
Such beautiful insight, Ellen, that God is never at a distance from any of us. That He is such a personal God encourages my heart. Thank you. By the way, I love Mandisa’s “Shackles.”
Thank you Trudy! Thanks for stopping by! Luv me some Mandisa!
Oh, my friend, I enjoyed reading this…thank you!
Thank YOU for stopping by! So glad you enjoyed it!
As Easter approaches, the old hymn ‘Near the Cross” has been playing on my mind. Thank you for sharing your awesome post with us here at ‘Tell Me a Story.”
Thank you, Hazel for stopping by! I loved the name of your blog when I saw it. Since my mom’s death in 2011, I have felt the Lord urging me to write my stories of Him.
You immediately made me smile about “The Rose”. My daughter, when in jr. hi., back in ’82, began playing it on a piano and singing it. AND she had rarely had any piano teaching, but she was good. When I hear that song, I always think of her.
Music is very important, both words and musical portions. I’m struggling with my physical “self” now, for the first time in years, and don’t know how it will be changing, readjusting. All I can count on is our Lord… from here and into Heaven. As I often say, “Life gets complicated” AND “God is BIGGER!!” That’s all I can trust. Thank you for sharing, and I sure loved the photo.
Joanne – thanks for stopping by! Yes, indeed, life does get complicated…so thankful we have a personal God who sees us! Loved the story of your daughter and The Rose!!
Thanks. Blessings.
I totally know that song and I’ve caught myself with it in my head (how did it get in there??) and having to say “NO!” just like you did. So good to come here and get a good reminder that God is Right Here.
Jen, thanks for stopping by! Thank you for your comment. Yes, He is a personal God!