WordLive - Year OneSample

Prepare: Awareness of God’s presence is one of his richest gifts to us. However, we are often more aware of ourselves and others than we are of his still, small voice. Whatever our feelings, he has promised to be with us always and indwell us by his Spirit. Draw near to him now and he will draw near to you. Found by God This surely is one of the Bible’s most evocative passages. A solitary man on the run wanders into a wilderness just as night falls. The back story is not promising: family relations are under severe stress due to his gross deception. And without apparently seeking God, he is found by him while asleep. No rebuke or correction follows, rather a declaration of promise and blessing. Taking the initiative This is a strange jumble of spiritual experience. God takes the initiative, seizes the moment and surprises us. It’s a pattern seen throughout the Bible. Jesus tells the story of a father who has been wronged but is generously lavish to his returning son (Luke 15:11–32). Later in the New Testament the apostle Paul sums up the Christian message like this: ‘Christ died for us while we were still sinners’ (Romans 5:8). He meets us when we least expect him and offers us hope. Respond: ‘Where can I go to get away from your Spirit? Where can I run from you’? (Psalm 139:7). Whatever your plans for today, remember that God is already there and waiting to surprise you. http://www.wordlive.org/Session/Classic/2012-07-16