...Not Far From Each One of Us...

Psalm 29
Ascribe to the Lord, O heavenly beings,

    ascribe to the Lord glory and strength
Ascribe to the Lord the glory due his name;
    worship the Lord in the splendor of holiness.

The voice of the Lord is over the waters;
    the God of glory thunders,
    the Lord, over many waters.
The voice of the Lord is powerful;
    the voice of the Lord is full of majesty.

The voice of the Lord breaks the cedars;
    the Lord breaks the cedars of Lebanon.
He makes Lebanon to skip like a calf,
    and Sirion like a young wild ox.

The voice of the Lord flashes forth flames of fire.
The voice of the Lord shakes the wilderness;
    the Lord shakes the wilderness of Kadesh.

The voice of the Lord makes the deer give birth
    and strips the forests bare,
    and in his temple all cry, “Glory!”

The Lord sits enthroned over the flood;
    the Lord sits enthroned as king forever.
May the Lord give strength to his people!
    May the Lord bless his people with peace!

Isn't that a beautifully awesome picture of God?

It is a scary thing to come face to face with the power and might of Him. He holds the power of the storm. But with all of this distance and power... He is not far from each one of us.

The God who made the world and everything in it, being Lord of heaven and earth, does not live in temples made by man, nor is he served by human hands, as though he needed anything, since he himself gives to all mankind life and breath and everything. And he made from one man every nation of mankind to live on all the face of the earth, having determined allotted periods and the boundaries of their dwelling place, that they should seek God, and perhaps feel their way toward him and find him. Yet he is actually not far from each one of us, for “‘In him we live and move and have our being’ -Acts 17:24-28a

The Apostle Paul is making his presentation of the God of the Bible, to the philosophers of Athens, the leaders of the Greek government and the men and women at the front of Greek thought. He is challenging five of the Greeks basic presuppositions in his message in Acts 17.

1. God is the Creator of the Universe (17:24): This is directly opposed to the Naturalism of the Epicureans and the Pantheism of the Stoics.

2. God is the Sustainer of Life (17:24): This is opposed to the Monism of Greek thought. God is a God who gives to creation—not to himself.

3. God is the Ruler of all the nations (17:26–28a): This opposes the concept of the cyclical view of history. History has purpose—to discover and to know the real living God.

4. God is the Father of all human beings Greek superiority as well as the whole concept of idolatry. If we are God's offspring, how can our God be made of gold, silver and stone?

5. God is the judge of the world (17:30–31): This opposes the Fatalism of the Greeks. Natural revelation is now being replaced with the true message of Christ. There is a chance to change in life. Repentance is held out to those trapped in the confines of fatalism.

The great God who is the Creator, Sustainer, Ruler, and Judge is also the Father of all human beings... He is not far from each of us. 



Do you know him as Father?

Of all the words to cause such extreme reactions…

Father.

For some this word conjures a very positive idea… we love our fathers… our fathers love us. The relationship is healthy… it is safe. Your dad is the provider, protector, and is a great role model.

For some this word conjures up all of those feelings… but in mourning. We loved our fathers… wishing they were still around… you are separated by death, custody after divorce, or by some other means.

For some this word conjures a very negative sentiment within you. Father was absent. Father was gone. Father treated you bad. Father… doesn’t deserve to be given a proper name. Father is the extent of your relationship. Maybe he was embarrassing, maybe he was cruel, maybe both…maybe more. Father leaves a bad memory. Father is something you are avoiding… hating… needing to be released from.

Violence, legalism, abuse, absence…are words that you associate with ‘Father.’

For some… you never knew your father.

There is no feeling except a longing to have one.

Father.

We all have different responses… because we all have different journeys… we all have different experiences with the word, the person, and the idea.

This is the name God chooses to identify himself as.

As a Father.

Why?

Relationship.

Though God is the transcending and all powerful Elohim… he is also a Father to his creation.

As a father provides for his children with as much power as he has, so God wishes to be a father using his power to the good of those who love him…and… for those whom he loves.

All of a sudden we are introduced to another concept: God is love.

But some of us see this differently.

Some of us can’t tie father and relationship to… love.

It’s not possible.

When we pray we don’t want to call him father… we feel God is deserving of a better name… or we can’t pray… we can’t get this idea of God loving us… because we don’t understand this idea of a father actually caring for us.

This is real.

This division.

This feeling of isolation from God…

 it’s real.

There are people missing out on love… missing out on God…

Not because of a lack of belief…

Not because of a lack of faith…

People are missing out on Him… because of a lack of understanding because of a past hurt.

We can’t relate to God… the way we need to relate to Him… the way Jesus taught us to relate to Him… without bridging the fallout with the relationship with your father.

God is your Father.

God is my Father.

God is everyone’s Father.

God is everything to the ones with nothing.

Us.

Because we all need a heavenly father.

He is not far from us... Will you reach out and seek Him, and perhaps feel your way toward him and find him?

He is not far from us.

---

Nathan Bryant

Is a student of Ozark Christian College in Joplin, Missouri. Majoring in Biblical leadership and Missiology, he has a combined passion for church unity and discipleship in the global church. Nate is a crazed sports fan, he enjoys fantasy football and watching baseball with friends. He works as an Admissions Counselor at Ozark as well as assistant to the staff at River Run Christian Church. Nate is also a Starbucks addict. Yay Coffee!

Christ's Kingdom is bigger than our causes.

Christ's Kingdom is bigger than our boundaries.
Follow him on Twitter: Follow @insideoverneath