I heard a quote this morning that touched me. It said, “No matter how alone you feel, God is only a prayer away.” I can remember growing up unsure of whether God really existed and, if He did, whether He really cared about my problems and heard my prayers. I had been led by others to believe that God only spoke to those He loved--His elite chosen ones, so to speak. And, since I hadn’t heard from Him, I figured that meant I didn’t make the cut.
Then, one day, I read a book that changed my life. It’s called Redeeming Love by Francine Rivers. It’s amazing and you should read it if you haven’t. In it, an unbelieving girl asks her husband why he married her. He tells her that God told him to. She sarcastically asks if this God of his speaks to him frequently. He responds that God speaks to everyone--most people just don’t listen. I was absolutely shocked when I read this. God speaks to everyone? It’s just our own deafness that keeps us from understanding? I had never thought about it like that before.
My image of God changed in that moment. He went from an all-knowing ruler with a serious favoritism complex to a tender, loving Father who fought daily against our pride and selfishness to try to speak to us. I pictured him by my side, reaching out to me, willing me to turn His way. He had given me an incredible gift--my free agency--and I was using it against Him. This idea stopped me in my tracks.
This is not to say that God doesn’t sometimes withdraw from us to teach us something, but He is still always there. He is always looking out for us, abolishing obstacles in our path and protecting us from harm. I forget that sometimes. I have trouble staying patient. I assume that, because he’s let go of the bike to let me try to ride on my own, He has left my side as well. But, just as my dad was always by my side after he let go of my bike, my Father is always there to catch me when I fall. He is there for us all.
I know this is true. I have felt His comfort and his grace in my life, working to mold me into a better person. It’s a beautiful thought, isn’t it? That the Creator and Lord of all is by your side every step of the way, loving you with an infinite love? No matter how far you feel from Him, He is always only a prayer away.
