God is Not Far from Us
God does not live in shrings made by human hands... Indeed, God is not far from each one of us. For in God we live and move and have our being.
- Acts 17:24, 27-28
When Paul spoke these words, he was on trial. He pointed out an altar that had the words. "to an unknown god," inscribed on it. Paul declared, If what you worship is unknown, this is what I know:
The God who made the world and all that is in it does not live in shrines made by hman hands; is not confined to walls, borders, or boundaries, but exists on your very breath.
In times like these, we find ourselves searching for God. Like we are fumbling around in the dark for the light switch, banging on the walls. In these moments, Paul assures us: Indeed, God is not far from each of us, but on your very breath.
With every inhale, you breathe in God.
With every exhale, you share God with the world.
As you search for God, God is already there. As you fumble around in the dark, God's light is simply right there within you. For in God we live and move and have our being.
In his final days, Jesus promises his disciples that even though he will no longer be with them physically, he will not abandon them. He promises them a companion: the Holy Spirit. In the midst of their anxiety and fear, he vows: You are not alone.
And the way you find that Spirit? He says, They who have my commandments and keep them are those who love me, and who will feel my love, and thus will feel God's love. (John 14:15-21)
And what is Jesus' commandment? To love on another. To love God, to love our neighbor, and to love ourselves. We do so by serving one another; by caring for our neighbor; by putting community first.
This commandment is the greatest and sometimes most difficult task, but it is also the most sacred, because it's how we know we're not alone.
In this time of physical distance, we are not far from God and we are not far from each other. The Holy Spirit, our constant companion, is what fills that space between us; drawing us ever closer to God and to one another.
