How Far Can You Run From God?
Some say that some people are currently far away from God. Within us all is a measuring system that measures how close and how far we are (and others are) from the God of the universe. Dave Gilpin, Senior Pastor of Hope City Church reveals how faulty our measuring tape can be and replaces it with the real measuring tape of heaven.
One day, a young woman came to the hospital to have a tumour removed from her face. As the surgeon was operating, it was necessary to sever a nerve, leaving the woman’s mouth permanently twisted.
After the operation and with the surgeon in the room, her young husband walked in. He gazed into her eyes and touched her, unconscious of the presence of the surgeon. Time stood still as they hold hands in the soft light of the room.
The young woman asked the surgeon, ‘will my mouth always be like this?’ The surgeon replied, ‘yes it will be, because the nerve will never re-grow.’ Slowly the husband bent down to kiss her crooked mouth. The surgeon later noted in his journal that he could see how the husband twisted his own lips to accommodate hers – to show their kiss still works.
Romans 5:8 says ‘BUT God demonstrates his own love for us in that while we were still sinners, Christ died for us.’ It was a point in time 2000 years ago when the beauty of heaven itself shaped its mouth to touch the twisted lips of humanity. He wants to show us today and forever that his kiss still works.
He doesn’t want us to turn away in shame, self consciousness or rejection but receive the kiss of life. He doesn’t want lipstick – he wants honesty. He’s not looking for a cheque for World Vision before he kisses us. He’s looking for a surrender of our weaknesses and failing, and a yearning to be loved by Heaven itself.
So why is it often said that someone is far away from God? How far do they mean? When someone is running from God – how far can they run? It begs the question – where is God? Where does He live?
Romans 2: 4 says that ‘His kindness leads us to repentance.’ 1 John 4: 17 states, ‘we love Him because He first loved us.’ Throw away the measuring tape – there's no need for it – no one on earth is even anymore than one arms length away from the one who died for them.
The man on the bridge contemplating suicide…
The female secretary abused behind closed doors…
The man who is doing the abusing…
The woman who left the man on the bridge for another lover…
When we draw back from God, where do we think we’re going to? He found you in abandonment, isolation, in a town called Malice, unable to feel love because of severed nerves, quick to embrace people, quick to reject, unable to control our habits and doing stuff we never really wanted to do. That was where He kissed you. Nothing you can do can make Him love you more and nothing you do can make Him love you less.
Jonah ran from God and found that God was in the whale.
Elijah ran from God and yet God was in the still small voice.
Peter ran from God yet God was on the shore making breakfast.
Psalm 139: 7-8 says
‘Where can I go from your spirit?
Where can I flee from your presence?
If I go to the heavens, you are there,
If I make my bed in the depths, you ate there.’
God’s Taxi
God waits in a taxi outside every home and every heart ready to lead us to a town called Repentance. I can remember slashing the tires of the taxi outside my home, not wanting to have anything to do with God until a later date. He immediately turned up on a bike. I remember stealing the bike. I wanted to keep on sinning. He turned up with nail scarred wrists and went on to lead me to a place called ‘Salvation’. I finally surrendered to His relentless tenderness.
A revelation of love doesn’t lead to abuse but respect. To know His forgiveness is to love him more and more. That’s why Mary was the first to visit the tomb of Christ. Those forgiven much - love much.
The Distance Thing
The distance thing easily develops the longer we’re saved. The more keys to successful living we collect, the more weight we carry, the more we pray and even at times the less we pray, the more danger there is of dropping the profound yet simple key of His ever present help. We were saved by it and need to stay by it.
It's true that our obedience releases a harvest of goodness and destiny (sow sparingly, reap sparingly) yet it’s the faith behind the obedience that opens the door to it. Even our obedience forms part of the ‘good works that God prepared in advance for us to do’. It’s all God. We’re simply being led through surrender.
The Child of Faith
It’s only the Child of Faith within us that can understand and comprehend the arm length of the love of God. Jesus said that the kingdom of heaven belongs to the Child of Faith. (Matthew 18: 2-4).
The Child of Faith is a simple child of trust. It believes in miracles and isn’t bound to fear. It doesn’t try to trade with heaven based on good works, because it hasn’t got many to trade with! It relies on God’s tender mercies. The Child of Faith believes in the arms length. It’s essential that we nurture the simplicity of the Faith Child. Here are some things to remember:
1. It never grows up.
It hates suits, loves shorts! It doesn’t like looking all mature and grown up. It’s a kid!
2. It never bulks up.
It hates gyms, loves parks. It isn’t about how big and strong it is – it’s about how strong it knows God is. It’s only ever a mustard seed.
3. It never gets tall.
It hates high heels, loves bare feet. Someone once said, ‘Everything in the Kingdom of God is on the bottom shelf – you need to bow down or be a child to get to it. It never takes a giant leap – just a step. That’s all that’s needed.
4. It never cheats.
It hates borrowing someone else’s notes. It relies on a simple, original word from Heaven!
5. It never has options.
It hates plan B’s, loves plan A’s. It relishes in the prospect of no way out!
6. It’s never alone
It hates pretense, loves honesty. It hates the Pharisee spirit but loves the hand of brokenness.
7. It never lies.
It hates dishonesty, loves the truth. It faces the facts and doesn’t ignore them.
The Child of Faith never grows up. We do. We take on responsibility, increase in knowledge and have an growing track record. The Child of Faith is within us to ensure that God is never seen to be where he never is – no more than an arms length from any of us at any time of our lives – ever!
Either you’re ‘in Christ’ or you're ‘near Christ’. Wherever you are, remember – the kiss still works!
‘Let him kiss me with the kisses of His mouth’ Song of Songs 1: 1.
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