PRaP 8-8-2005

"Feeling Separated?"

There are times in my life and I suspect yours that you feel separated from
God. I know for a fact there is a reason for it. Yet I ponder the why. I
know He does it because if He was always there we would take Him for
granted. That is just human nature. Think differently? OK let me give
you an example. When's the last time you stopped and wondered where your
electricity comes from? You just take for granted that when you flip that
light switch the lights are coming on. How many times when the power goes
out have you walked to the wall and flipped the switch on and off. We take
it for granted that it is always going to be there. Same goes for water
and our other creature comforts that we are so blessed with. When I get
sick that is when I feel the most separated and I wonder what it is that I
have done to be pulled away from God's presence. I begin to desperately
seek into my inner most soul and try and find the horrible thing I have
done to deserve separation. Normally I snap out if pretty quick
remembering that none of us are deserving of God and remember too that I am
a friend of God and that He also said He would never leave us or forsake
us. I think that He will step back at times just to see how we will react
to His absence or should I say His lack of attention that He allots us on a
moment by moment basis. It puts things into perspective for me that I
should never take Grace for granted and I should never abuse the Mercy that
God has for us. Jesus died on the cross for our sin and we need to grasp
the hope of our salvation and our peace from the fact that God gave His one
and only Son to pay the ultimate price for our sin. I now find that this
time of separation needs to be a time of reflection instead of a time of
worry. We need to take this time and focus on the blessings that God has
given us and give thanks that He loves us enough to give us reflection time
and to continually desire service to Him. I think it is one of those times
that God is saying "What have you done for Me lately?"

PRaP Luke 23:26-49