July 15, 2008, Praises Along the Way--Why Here? What Now?

Why here? What now? Ever wonder why you live where you live and what your purpose in life may be? I had my 20 year class reunion this last Saturday. What a trip! So many looked the same and some had to tell me who they were but it didn’t take long for us to talk to each other with ease. Just like riding a bike it came back, familiar friendships. Even when we’ve been apart for tens of years.

One of my friends had commented that she does this or that hobby but it seemed that there was emptiness there as she wondered, “What have I done with my life?” As she searched for meaning to her life, I too wonder, God, what’s the purpose? What have I done with my life?

I found a verse this week that was interesting to me. Paul speaks in Acts 17:26 & 27 to the intellects at Athens trying to convince them to serve and honor the “unknown god” only.

He says, “From one man he made every nation of men, that they should inhabit the whole earth; and he determined the times set for them and the exact places where they should live. God did this so that men would seek him and perhaps reach out for him and find him, though he is not far from each one of us.” (Acts 17:26 & 27)

I thought about what Paul was saying, God knows where we are, he put us there in hopes that we would reach for him (my paraphrase) AND he isn’t far from us. Wow, I am where I am because God put me here to reach out to him.

I once had a picture in my mind as I was praying. I was asking God for a person to receive Jesus as their savior… in the picture God waited , just inches from the person’s face…nose to nose…waiting to be invited in. Think about that for a minute. God so doesn’t want anyone to perish, to die without him that he waits patiently, close to our faces so close sometimes that we don’t even see him or know he’s there.

But what is it that causes us to think, what have I done with my life? Maybe it’s God calling to us, whispering in our faces, just reach out to me and you’ll find me and have eternal life. He’s as close as a breath. He gives us the breath we breathe (Gen 2:7) to reach out to him and have relationship with him.

What an awesome thought that the God of the Universe made me and gave me a place in time; put me in a specific region of his creation in hopes I would reach out to him and have a loving relationship with him. It’s too big to get my head around! But it’s true for me and for all he calls. To all who hear his voice and accept his gift of salvation.

God wants to have relationship with us and my thoughts were on him today. How sweet it is to be loved by him!