Our Active and Interested Father

God is much closer than you think.

Time magazine, on its cover page in 1966, famously asked “Is God Dead?” Since then, others have asked similar questions relating our connection to God – or rather, His connection to us.

Many of us have experienced a seemingly large abyss between God and ourselves, particularly during times of trial and stress. Who among us hasn’t cried out in prayer and received no direct, audible response? When have we been able to experience the actual touch from His hand, or His embrace? Our human nature associates the wonderful blessing of fellowship among friends and family with the success of any relationship, even with our Lord. So, when that close contact is absent, we might feel that a close relationship is lacking. But, things are not quite that simple. And more importantly, God is closer than we think and far more active and interested in our lives than we can imagine.

The Psalmist asks God no less than eight times to “incline your ear”. Both Isaiah and Daniel also plied God to “incline” His ear to them in their time of need. So, what does it mean to “incline” ones ear? The verb “incline” has many different meanings, but perhaps the most appropriate to our discussion are these: “to lean or bend; to be disposed; to have a preference.” When I think of the Lord inclining his ear toward us, I envision Him stooping low and cupping His ear with His hand, listening intently as we express our concerns. I also think of Him sitting across from us, holding both of our hands, staring into our eyes, focusing on every word.

Our Old Testament friends also made it clear that God in fact heard them after all, and will continue to do so.

I love the Lord, because he has heard my voice and my pleas for mercy.

Because he inclined his ear to me, therefore I will call on him as long as I live.

– Psalm 116: 1-2

O Lord, you hear the desire of the afflicted;  you will strengthen their heart; you will incline your ear…

– Psalm 10:17

I am sometimes tempted to think that surely God is too busy handling the affairs of the universe to listen to me. Who am I in the bigger picture, that He would lean toward me and actively engage me? Aren’t some of the most dramatic stories in the bible those involving God interacting with large groups, such as the Exodus, the Sermon on the Mount, and the Feeding of the Five-Thousand? Perhaps.

Yet, I find the stories of God interacting with individuals to be far more powerful. For instance, John 4 highlights a prime example. Jesus speaks with a Samaritan woman at a well. He already understands her history and her plight before she says a word. His caring conversation assured her of His love for her. Her response is inspiring:

Many Samaritans from that town believed in [Jesus] because of the woman’s testimony, “He told me all that I ever did.” – John 4:39

The stories of God’s active interest and engagement at a personal level don’t stop there. Tax collectors; prostitutes; Roman soldiers. Even one of the most feared persecutors of Christians, Saul (Paul), was changed forever during a personal encounter with Jesus following His resurrection. You might have sensed a theme here, which is that God is so interested in us that He became one of us. He was (and remains) physical, tangible, real.

While God’s interest in our lives is unmatched,  we must understand that this is not a one-way street. Time and again, scripture explains the need for us to reach out to Him as well. Logic dictates that we cannot complain of a lack of communication when we are chiefly at fault for failing to properly initiate the conversation. Simply put, God inclines His ear but what does He hear from us? Do we tend to give Him a “to-do” list when we pray? Do we come to Him in the good times with praise and thanksgiving as often as we do when times are bad?

Now, take another look at the mural depicted at the beginning of this post. You might recognize it as the famous work of Michelangelo called “Creation of Adam”. Study closely the arrangement of the hands and fingers; Adam’s on the left and God’s on the right. I see Adam’s hand suggesting a level of carelessness, while God’s hand seems to reflect Him purposefully stretching to reach Adam. Does this reflect our own relationship with God? Do we truly reach out to Him, or do we expect Him to make the move?

I have encouraged you several times before in this blog to spend time with your family in prayer. Not only does this teach young ones that prayer is important, and that a relationship with their Lord is very simple. Praying together also provides a routine for the family, with the expectation that it continue each and every day. Each member of the family holds the others accountable for their prayer life. Deb and I would love to hear your comments on your prayer life, and how that may have changed as a result of this blog!