Fully Loved, Fully Known: Known by God. Loved Without Limits.Näide

God is always near – even when we do dumb stuff.

I’m number six out of seven siblings, and it’s a miracle we survived childhood! My mum loved to tell the story of my brother and me in Germany when we were just 3 and 4 years old. Mum looked out the kitchen window one day to see our neighbour frantically waving and shouting “Nein! Nein! Nein!” (that’s “No!” in German).

She rushed upstairs, burst into the bedroom, and there we were – standing in the wide-open window, about to climb out onto a “ladder” of two bed sheets tied together, re-enacting a prison break. Of course, when you’re 3 and 4, tying proper knots is beyond you; you can barely tie your shoelaces. And from the third floor, our little escape ladder ended somewhere in mid-air. No wonder the neighbour was screaming!

But we weren’t the only ones with wild imaginations. A few years later, in England, my brother (number 3 in the lineup) decided to practice his Olympic diving skills… into the bathtub. He filled the bath to the brim with water, then dived in head-first. The crash, the screams, the blood – chaos! He lost some teeth and gained a few stitches but thankfully lived to tell the tale.

Then there was the “Mary Poppins incident.” My oldest sister and brother had watched the movie, saw the nanny float down with her umbrella, and thought, Why not? They were about to leap off the balcony, umbrella in hand, when someone caught them just in time.

God was near then. And He’s still near now.

God doesn’t just protect us in childhood recklessness. He’s near us in our teenage mistakes, and our adult compromises. I became a Christian at 12, but for a long time, my faith was more of a religious routine than a real relationship.

I sang in the choir and even led groups, but when I moved away from home, I drifted. New friends led to new temptations and a new double life. I thought I could keep my Christian side over here and my “real” life over there. My heart was far from God.

One night in London, after a party, I missed my Tube stop and ended up far from home. It was the last train. No taxis. No phones. Just me, walking unfamiliar streets after 1:00 a.m. A car full of guys slowed down beside me, music blasting. My heart froze. I hadn’t prayed in ages, but that night I whispered, “Lord, please help me.” Just like that, they sped off without bothering me.

I knew then – God was near. I hadn’t been thinking of Him, but He had never stopped thinking of me.

Psalm 139 says there’s nowhere we can go to escape His presence. In the highest heavens, the lowest depths, the farthest oceans, the darkest nights – God is always there. Even when you’ve wandered, and you’re in over your head. You might think you’ve lost Him, but He has never lost you.

The question isn’t whether God is near; it’s whether you’ll invite Him in (Revelation 3:20).

Prayer
Dear Heavenly Father, Thank You that I can never be lost to Your Spirit. Your hand is always near to guide me. Help me to walk closely with You. In Jesus’ Name, Amen.

Tomorrow we’ll discover how God has already written your story with love and purpose.