Daily Devotional

-June 25, 2021-

Good morning, happy Friday,

-It Is Clear That God Is Near-

“‘Am I not near at hand,’ says the Lord, ‘and not a God afar off?’ Can anyone hide himself in secret places, so I shall not see him?’ says the Lord; ‘Do I not fill heaven and earth?’ says the Lord.”

(Jeremiah 23:23-24).

Three times it says in today’s text, we read the words, “says the Lord.” The Bible is the only holy book that has God speaking in the first first person. Here God asks a series of questions about where He is and what He sees. God is omnipresent, meaning He is everywhere present.

For those who are saved, it is a blessing that God is near, and that He sees and ears everything we do and say. For those who reject Christ and do not believe, it is most uncomfortable. This contrast is shown in John 3:19-21, “And this is the condemnation, that light has come into the world, and men loved darkness rather than light, because their deeds were evil. For everyone practicing evil hates the light and does not come to the light, lest his deeds should be exposed. But he who does the truth comes to the light, that his deeds may be clearly seen, that they have been done in God.”

It is interesting to note how people have been trying to hide their sins ever since the days of Adam and Eve. After they had sinned against God, they hid themselves among the trees of the garden and covered their nakedness with fig leaves. God provided them with animal skins for their covering. He this instituted the blood sacrifice which carried on until Christ came as the Lamb of God and died in our place on the cross. The sin issue must be dealt with, otherwise people are lost and filled with shame and guilt.

We praise God that by believing in Jesus our sins are forgiven. We no longer do we try to hide ourselves from God and others. We, who were once far from God, have been brought near to God by the blood of Christ. See Ephesians 2:13. James wrote in James 4:8, “Draw near to God and He will draw near to you. Cleanse your hands, you sinners; and purify your hearts, you double-minded.”

When people sin, they do it at night under the cloak of darkness. God calls them “secret places.” God sees them, no one can hide their sin from Him. He is everywhere and sees everything. The light of God’s truth is uncomfortable and convicting to those who do not know their Lord. It reminds us of when you pick up a rock, all these little creatures scurry to get back undercover in the darkness.

The same light is inviting to us but is uncomfortable to those in darkness. God is always near to us and guides us by the light of His Word. When we do sin, the Holy Spirit convicts us so that we can confess our sin and be forgiven. John 1:9 says, “If we confess our sins, He is faithful and just to forgive us our sins and to cleanse us from all unrighteousness.”

The nearness of God is our good. He wants the best for us always. May we walk in the light and be pleasing to Him. He promises to be with us always, even to the end of the age.

Have a blessed day and weekend walking with the Lord in the light and drawing near to Him. Stay safe and healthy.

In His grace,

Dean