God was Where?

I heard a phrase repeated in a sermon the other day, which I really don't care for (the phrase, not the sermon.  The sermon was awesome).  On the surface the phrase isn't so bad, and I know what people kinda mean when they say it, but I really think it belies a very basic misunderstanding, or at least mischaracterization, of Christian theology and the reality that is God.

It's the phrase "God showed up", or sometimes the prayer that "we pray God that You would show up here today". 

People say that with great relief or expectation, depending on the circumstances.  But it makes me wonder, did God, like, go someplace?

Did he have a meeting and make it back to us just in the nick of time?

Did we pray and somehow NOT expecting God to be there, swooning with relief when He does show up? 

I've never liked it when people say "I prayed, and God showed up!" I know what they mean, and I'm glad that God answered a prayer in their lives, and I'm hoping that helps build their faith in God.

But seriously, was God, like, not there and then He showed up? 

How small we tend to make our God.  We live our lives, day to day, with barely a thought for God and what He's doing for us and through us.  We live our lives feeling as, if we want to be close to God, we need to make time for God (how many times have you heard that?), when God is the maker of time!

Think about this: is there anything we can do that will actually bring God closer to us?

I submit to you, there is not one thing we can do to bring God closer to us.

Work all you want. Spend all the time you can in prayer and reading the Bible and worship on Sundays. Do you think God will be any closer to you now than He was before?  Do you think God will be closer to you than someone who literally never thinks of God, and doesn't even care if God exists?

The reality is this: God is ever-present in our lives, whether we like it or not.  Whether we  believe in Him or not.  God does not need to "show up" because He's always here.

He's always present.  Always attentive and always listening.

The thing that draws closer is us.

Hebrews 10 says "let us draw near to God with a sincere heart in full assurance of faith"

Psalm 73 says, "Those who are far from you will perish; you destroy all who are unfaithful to you. But as for me, it is good to be near God. I have made the Sovereign LORD my refuge; I will tell of all your deeds."

And in James,  it is written "Come near to God and he will come near to you."

You can go all through scripture and see that God does not move.  He is the unchanging, ever-lasting God.

Don't wait for God to show up when you need Him.  Draw near to Him now (by prayer, reading the Bible, worship on Sunday, etc, for these are all good things to do) but also by seeing that God is a part of our lives every day, every minute, every second, and live in joyful thanks for that very fact that God has our back all the time. 

Sometimes life is tough.  Isn't it better to be close to God before the going gets tough, rather than hoping He'll show up later?