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Well, we just spent a few days at Pinery Provincial Park where there are lots of trees,
trails, tents and trailers, clean beaches, and my favourite, beautiful sand
dunes. A few years ago I discovered one
particular dune near our site that I went up to commune with God. There we had some precious times, I learned
more about Him, and worshipped Him under the stars that He made. What magnificent times we had!
This time we were only there for the long
weekend and in a totally different area with family and friends. As a result, I was nowhere close to the dunes
and so it was Sunday morning before I got away to seek out my sacred
place. Mounting my steed (okay, my
bicycle…) I rode off into to the quiet, early morning to seek out my special
place with God. Racing down the road
uncertain of which specific direction to go in, I trusted God to help me find
the place.
The wind gently blew on my face, the
crisp air relaxed my breathing, and the stillness of the morning made me
smile. It’s been a long time since I
enjoyed nature that way. Then I heard
His voice. His words went something like
this, “Why are you going to this place?”
“To meet with You there,” I said.
“But I am here with you now.”
“Yes, I know that Lord, but…” Quiet. Then
in a flash I understood what we, as Christians, are still trying to do thousands
of years after our creation--- find God in a special place, kind of like Moses
going up Mount
Sinai to
meet with God. We go to church to be in
His presence, or conferences, to hear special speakers, or even alone in our
rooms. There is nothing wrong with any
of that for it is important to meet with God those times as well, but God is
called Emmanuel, meaning God with us, for a reason--- because He is always with
us!!! (Mt. 1:23; Is. 7:14)
He is with us through our work day, when
we change our baby’s diaper, wash the clothes, cut the lawn, eat our food, go
poop on the toilet (did I type that out loud!…), sit in class, drive the
vehicle, talk on the phone, go to bed, exercise, and on and on. See, in the beginning, God was with Adam and
Eve in a physical way, probably daily (Gen. 3).
After the ‘fall’ of man, it was different and He rarely showed Himself,
but He did still communicate with some men.
Then the Father sent His Son, Jesus
Christ (Jh. 3:16), to come and show us the way of life (Jh.
14:6). Jesus died for our sins (1Cr.
15:3), but before He did, He said He had to go so the Comforter could be sent
(Jh. 15:26; 16:7-13). Basically, He had
to go so that His Spirit could dwell with us.
Here. Wherever we are. Now.
Every moment of every day. God
with us.
…through
the Holy Spirit given to us. Rm. 5:5
But you are not in the flesh, but in the Spirit, if the
Spirit of God dwells in you… Rm.
8:9
…For you are the temple of the living God, as God has said, "I will dwell in them
and walk among them; and I will be their
God, and they shall be My people." 2Cr. 6:16 also 1Cr. 3:16
…through
the Holy Spirit indwelling in us. 2Tm. 1:14
…The
spirit that dwells in us… Jm. 4:5
Whoever
shall confess that Jesus is the Son of God, God dwells in him and he in God. 1Jh.
4:15
God is with us if we are truly His children. We don’t have to go someplace special to be
with Him for He is right here with us.
I’m learning more every day to commune with Him throughout each day,
leaning on His help, wisdom and strength to get me through. I’ll still go to our dune every time I’m at
the Pinery, but He is here with me even as I type these words, ready and
wanting to listen and to speak to me again.
Like the commercial, He is probably whispering:
Can you hear me now???