"You're Never Out of Reach"

"Then they cried unto the LORD in their trouble, and he delivered them out of their distresses."
(Psalms 107:6)

 I like puzzles as much as anyone else; but that closing Scripture from yesterday was on my heart all day long. I hope it ministered something into someone else also, because the point was pretty obvious about the stupidity of not only worshipping something created, but something that you can control and manipulate and burn, and then asking it to rescue you, that is just ridiculous. What will that do for you, except maybe keep you warm from the cold. Pastor Jon was sharing something yesterday that I am sure was not received well on the day he shared it. He was speaking about people who complain about God not seeming close, even though they try to draw close to Him. Jon insisted, "One of you is a liar, and I'm sure it's not God!" There is a simple truth that must be told: either we only think that we are drawing close to God, or there is something else between us and the LORD. Maybe both of those are strongly connected. That is why "distresses" are important and needed in our lives; they wake us up, clear our vision, and draw us close to God. It is a word that speaks of narrowness and anguish. How big is your God? Is He big enough to do whatever it is that you need? Oh yes He is! He is always there, right there in every situation and in every circumstance. But the question is, do we truly know what we need? I know that I always know what I want, but my wants are not always the same as my needs; as a matter of fact, most of the time my wants are just the opposite. I want to try and eat a 44oz ribeye steak; but my need is to give my stomach a much needed break. I said that because Saturday I cooked a steak that size, and it turned out amazing; as close to perfection as anything I have ever enjoyed in any restaurant. Anywho, it is distress that makes us stop whatever it is that we are doing and cry out to the LORD. If it can work for Manasseh, then it can work for you or me! But rest assure, if you do draw close to God, He will draw close to you...

"What do you think the Scriptures mean when they say that the spirit God has placed within us is filled with envy? But he gives us even more grace to stand against such evil desires. As the Scriptures say, "God opposes the proud but favors the humble." So humble yourselves before God. Resist the devil, and he will flee from you. Come close to God, and he will come close to you. Wash your hands, you sinners; purify your hearts, for your loyalty is divided between God and the world. Let there be tears for what you have done. Let there be sorrow and deep grief. Let there be sadness instead of laughter, and gloom instead of joy. Humble yourselves before the Lord, and he will lift you up in honor." (James 4:5-10) NLT