I don't know why Bette Midler's Song, "God is Watching Us from a Distance"
is on her Christmas album.
Our four year old granddaughter was at our house when that song played somewhere in between Bette's rendition of "Mele Kalikimaka" and "I'll Be Home for Christmas".
I was concerned about the message it was communicating to our granddaughter's little heart.
I asked her what she thought about about the song, and then I told her what God's Word says.
"..God is near to us whenever we call on Him." (Deuteronomy 4:7)
I wanted to reassure her of God's nearness.
Of course, in Psalm 38 David is expressing his gut-wrenching feelings to God.
His outward circumstances and his inward sin and guilt were overwhelming him.
David felt like God was faraway while he was drowning in his mess.
I've certainly felt that way before and I'm pretty sure you have, too.
However, whether we are talking about David or us,
the fact is that the truth and our feelings can be miles apart.
When David cried out, "Come quickly to help me, O Lord my Savior!",
like any good Father, God came running.
Does that mean his circumstances instantly changed?
Not necessarily.
God's nearness is our guarantee even when circumstances get worse instead of better.
The enemy loves to use our adversity to lie to us.
"God has abandoned you. God doesn't care about you or what you are going through", he whispers.
That's when you need some truth arrows to shoot right back at him.
Here are some of my favorites.
Deuteronomy 31:7-8 says that God will not fail me or let me go or forsake me
Isaiah 41:9-10 says that I don't have to be afraid for God is with me
Isaiah 46:3-4 says that God will carry me even when my hair is white with age
1 John 5:8 tells me of Jesus' careful watch over me
Hebrews 13:5 promises that God will never leave or forsake me or relax His hold on me
If I could answer the question with certainty about why bad things happen to God's children,
I'd be on the best seller list.
What I can do is rely on what I do know~
God doesn't waste my pain and suffering,
whatever I go through in this life is just momentary compared to the glory of eternity,
and God is near to me, no matter what I am going through,
no matter what I feel.
still following,
Linking with She Reads Truth
beautiful... encouraging... thank you
ReplyDeleteThank you, sweet friend.
DeleteLove this. It is brautiful. Thank you for sharing :)
ReplyDeleteBlessings,
~Sherri
God bless you, Sherri! Thank you for your encouragement.
DeleteWriting seems effortless for you, Elizabeth--
ReplyDeleteOnce again--just beautiful--thank you!
Oh friend, sometimes it just flows out of me....and then there are the dry times. Anything good that comes out is all of God's Spirit!
DeleteWhen I was a baby Christian and would hear that song or others with a hint of "God" in them I would think to myself "oh listen, they mentioned God in that song...that's encouraging". Although it is a beautiful song, it surely isn't biblical, is it? God is never distant unless we allow that to happen. There is another song by someone (I can't remember exactly who) that says "Jesus is as close as the whisper of His name". Thank you for this beautiful reminder, Elizabeth. Have a blessed weekend!
ReplyDeleteI love that song, "He's as close as the whisper of His name." It's such a precious truth.
DeleteFeeling are not necessarily the truth. Soooo true!
ReplyDeleteI've been writing and reading those Isaiah 46 verses the last few days!
That's awesome, Carol! The book of Isaiah just may be my favorite. So many riches are in it's chapters!
DeleteAmen--(and I do enjoy Bette Midler.) I was thinking of something someone said at the conference, "All truth is God's truth." He IS watching us.
ReplyDeleteBeautiful words as usual.
If I could choose anyone's singing voice, it would be the divine Miss M's!
DeleteOh wow. I just went to listen to that, and I'm not sure I've ever heard it, and if I'm not sure I would have picked up on it like you did. I get the idea of God seeing from a wider and longer perspective... ways we don't see because they're so much higher. And the future hope we have. But you are so smart to have talked this out with your grandgirl. We had a pastor who often said, "If you feel like God's far away, it's you who have moved." Thanks for this!
ReplyDeleteThanks for hosting this link each week. I do love Bette and her song and the general idea of God is watching us but the "from a distance part" makes it like He's an impersonal God. He's our Father, and gave His Son so we could always and forever be near to Him. That's what I wanted my grandgirlie to know.
DeleteThank you! Sooooo true. And how many times I've based my beliefs on my feelings rather than the Truth. XOXO
ReplyDeleteI have listened to my feelings rather than to God's truth too many times as well, Julie.
DeleteSo beautifully said. Thank you for the encouraging words. Blessings~
ReplyDeleteIt's encouraging for me too, to remind myself of God's nearness.
Delete"What I can do is rely on what I do know~ God doesn't waste my pain and suffering, whatever I go through in this life is just momentary compared to the glory of eternity, and God is near to me, no matter what I am going through,
ReplyDeleteno matter what I feel."
These words at the end of your powerful post, Elizabeth, touch me deeply. How often, I looked to the heavens when Mama was suffering so and for so long, and I would say outside the doors of the nursing home, "How long, O LORD, how long?" That nearness did not feel near in those moments. But shortly, He would reassure me that He knew Mama's time, and my heart.
Relying on what I know... Oh that I would do that.
Good lesson for your granddaughter too. Never thought about Bette's song.
Glad you came by tonight to Being Woven.
Caring through Christ, ~ linda
It means a lot to me when something I write helps someone...I know it's God and not me. Bless you bunches, Linda!
DeleteAll I can hope for, trust for, is that He will never abandon me... dump me behind His spiritual wall. Good thinking, sharing, Word, and photo. Bless you, Elizabeth.
ReplyDeleteLove you, friend.
Deletethank you for this reminder. I have been throught a difficult season when God seemed far away. In retrospect I believe I was dealing with some clinical depression and in January my word given to me for the year was "unfrozen." and in that month, I felt my self turn the corner and God seemed near again...even though he was there all along. It is difficult when the clouds block out the stars to believe they are still there, but they are and so is God. God bless.
ReplyDeleteCarol, I suffered from depression years ago. There was a light at the end of the tunnel, thank God! I'm so thankful that God is shining His light and love on you.
DeleteSo lovely! Thank you!
ReplyDeleteThanks so much for stopping by Nannette!
DeleteHi Elizabeth! Thanks for exposing the lie. The enemy wants us to believe the lie that God has forgotten us. But scripture assures his presence...over and over again. Thank you for making it plain. Happy Sunday!
ReplyDeleteLearning to sift past my feelings that can lie to me and stand upon the truth has been a key to survival of life's ups and downs for me.
DeleteI LOVE that He never leaves us ... not for one second. And that He doesn't change like shifting shadows ... which seems to be the case in so many of our human relationships.
ReplyDeletePraising Him on this sabbath morn ...
I totally agree with you, Linda. There's no darkness or shiftiness or unreliability in our God!
DeleteI love your phrase that "God's nearness is our guarantee even when circumstances get worse instead of better." Something secure to rest in.
ReplyDeleteBeautiful photo and post. You were near by at Scripture and a Snapshot.
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مجتمع للتنظيف-
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