The Lord is Near

I've been thinking about the nearness of the Lord.

Here is a quick word study on the subject.

Philippians 4:5 "The Lord is NEAR".

Psalm 119:151 David says that in the face of the wicked and their schemes, he won't loose hope because: "Yet you are NEAR Oh Lord"

Psalm 145:18 David say that prayer attracts the Lord: "The Lord is NEAR to all who call on Him, to all who call on Him in truth".

Psalm 34:10 A broken heart brings God's Presence near. "The Lord is CLOSE to the brokenhearted"

Isaiah 50:8 "He who vindicates me is NEAR. Who then will bring charges?"

James 5:8 "You too be patient and stand firm, because the Lord's coming is NEAR"

Romans 13:11 "And do this, understanding the present time. The hour has come for you to wake up from your slumber because our salvation is NEARER now than when we first believed.

My thought is this: as we grow in our understanding of His nearness in our daily lives we are better prepared for His nearing return. Practicing in His presence as Brother Lawrence called it is the art of acknowledging His nearness in our lives. The more we realize His nearness the more we experience His nearness. The more we experience His nearness the more we want to be like Him. The more our hearts to desire to be like Him the more we are aligned with His purposes in this hour and His ultimate purpose of returning to take His people to heaven.

Shane & Shane have a great song out called "Be Near oh God". In any and every situation of life the Lord is near to His people. I've been sick some five months with a myriad of strange infections, bacterias, and viruses. Often I've wanted to ask the question: "just where are you in that whole mess in my life Lord?" I'm convinced His answer is the same as it's always been- "I'm near to you". I think that's why His name is Emmanuel: "God is with us".

I'm grateful for my God who is near.