Pen Pals

Over many years in ministry, I have published hundreds of posts, preached thousands of sermons, and sent countless emails. I am famous in a very small circle. That said, I have gained a few pen pal friends over the years—people who recognize me as a pastor and occasionally write to keep up with me. They sometimes tell me what they have been up to and inquire about what I have been doing. Some have reached out in response to something I have written or said.

Recently a pen pal shared that he felt God did not seem close. He was asking what to do to recover that closeness in his life. My response was a question: “If God no longer seems close, who moved?” God is omnipresent; we cannot escape His presence. We can, however, allow our focus to shift to other things and slowly drift away from the intimate relationship we once enjoyed with Him.

As Christians, we are in a very real, living relationship with Christ. That relationship requires our attention, focused time, obedient hearts, and regular conversation in prayer. God is speaking to us every day. He speaks through His Word, through the experiences of life, through the encouragement and counsel of other believers, and sometimes directly to our hearts. He knows us more deeply than we know ourselves, and His wisdom far surpasses our human understanding, so it’s vital that we stay connected with Him on a daily basis. Keep your Bible within easy reach; it should be used so often that dust never has a chance to settle on it. Where is God? He’s right where you left Him when you picked up your phone to scroll an hour ago. Every day there are countless things vying for our attention. It takes intentional effort, dedication, and concentration to keep the main thing the main thing. Really, the key to staying close to God is to weave Him into the rhythms of your everyday life. Begin each day with Him, ask for His guidance, and make time to listen for His voice as you go about your day.