Distance

You already know that I am NOT a distance person. I like to be up close and personal-- one of those huggy, sit right next to me, eyeball -to-eyeball type of people. However, distance is a funny thing. While I do not like distance in personal or family relationships or positive things, I was definitely appreciative of the distance that separated me from the ravages of the hurricanes these past years. So, as with anything, sometimes distance is a good thing. It all depends on your perception and perspective.

Sometimes we can be physically close to a person or situation and yet miles away mentally, emotionally, or spiritually. Ever daydream in World History class? Or have to ask your children or spouse to repeat what they just said to you, as you sit 2 feet from them? You know what I mean. One person in the room sits reading the paper, or a book or magazine, and the other one longs for communication or companionship of a closer nature.

I wonder if God ever thinks of us in that way. We live together, in our body. You and I, with Him, living together inside of each of us. But I wonder if sometimes, or too many times, we are like that proverbial couple that finds themselves as “two ships, passing in the night”. It is like a “thank you, God for being with me today,” as we nod off to sleep at night, and another hurried “help me through the day” in the morning, as we rush to the day’s activities. What about all that space and time in between? He’s still living in the house with us, present all the time. He can be like that partner in life that longs for communication and attention, while we are reading the day’s newspaper of life.

“They acknowledge me with their lips, but their hearts are far from me,” Isaiah 29:13. We call Jesus our Lord and Savior. We believe in Him and trust in Him. We have a relationship with Him, but that total passion of heart is missing or lacking.

We do not necessarily have to have a lengthy discussion with Him for the entire day, while our daily work responsibilities fall by the wayside. God gives us our daily responsibilities. God gave you the job that you work at. However, it is acknowledgement throughout the entire day that He is after.

Think about it for a moment. When you and your spouse or children are together, or when you are with another loved one, you do not necessarily have to spend the entire day in a big long discussion. Neither do you ignore each other, or become so absorbed in yourself and what you are doing that you forget that the other is there. You do, during the course of the day, converse with, and give acknowledgement to your loved ones. That pat or touch, that brush as you go by, that wink across the room, or phrase of approval and encouragement; that look that says loud and clear- “I love you”, “You’re the one for me, baby”, “I’m so glad you’re my #1”, or any of a host of other positive, affirming, confirming messages (verbal and non-verbal) that we send to each other throughout the day.

That is what the ones we love are after. That is what the One we love is after. That look and communication that says “You are the one, and we both know it.” God gives those communications to us all the time- the beauty of the sunrise (or sunset) the greatness of His physical creation, the “parting of the waters” as He answers our cries for help in our problems, those moments that He whispers in our ears the breath of personal encouragement and hope. And we need to reciprocate that. It can be a song, a word, a smile, a laugh, a quickly breathed prayer, anything that acknowledges to God that He is the One, and you both know it-- a wink at God. It can be done continuously throughout the day, as we check out customers, monitor students between classes in the halls, deal with the public or employees in our business, hang the laundry, or whatever else we are earthly involved in.

God gives us the equivalent of “the look” all the time. We need to give Him “the look” that usurps distance and says, “You’re the One, Lord, and we both know it.”

Next time I meet you out in the world and you have that smile of the Lord on your face, if I see you wink, I’ll know it’s not for me!