Following at a Distance, or Dancing with the Stars?

You’ve heard the saying that, “Being close only counts in horse shoes and hand grenades.” As a child, I always added to the phrase, “and dancing”, thinking that I was so clever. But looking back, I realize how clever that really was. Leave it to the heart of a child to understand that everything is about relationships, and how close we are to someone that matters.

Image courtesy of: Graham Ó Síodhacháin

Scripture:
“But Peter followed him at a distance, right up to the courtyard of the high priest. He entered and sat down with the guards to see the outcome.” – Matthew 26:58

Observation/Application:
How close are we to God? Many Christians are not renouncing Jesus, but like Peter, are following Jesus at a distance. Are we following God from a distance? Here’s a few questions we could ask ourselves to gauge how close we are to God:

• How often does Jesus cross our mind throughout the day?
• Do we overflow with joy each day, or are we weighed down by the weight of the flesh?
• Does our Christianity live within the four walls of the church, or does the gospel burn so brightly inside of us that it cannot be contained?
• Do our actions reflect our hearts for Him?
• Do we see others as children of God?
• How truly excited and enthusiastic are we truly in the Lord?

But the Bible tells us that God is always with us, that He is always near:

• “So do not fear, for I am with you;” – (Isaiah 41:10)
• “And I will be with you all the time, to the very end of the world.” – (Matthew 28:20
• “No man shall be able to stand before you all the days of your life. As I was with Moses, so I will be with you; I will not fail you or forsake you.” – (Joshua 1:5)
• “And truly, I will be with you, and will keep you wherever you go, guiding you back again to this land; and I will not give you up till I have done what I have said to you.” – Genesis 28:15
• + over 20 other occurrences based on a quick search

So if the Bible tells us that God is always with us, how can we be following him at a distance?  The answer lies in the heart. We might be in the same room as someone but that doesn’t mean that we are truly there with them. We could be sitting right next to someone and while our hearts and minds are somewhere else.

God knows us from the inside out. He knows our hearts, and our love for Him. He knows our thoughts, and our words before they even leave our lips.

“The Lord says: ‘These people come near to me with their mouth and honor me with their lips, but their hearts are far from me. Their worship of me is based on merely human rules they have been taught’.” – (Isaiah 29:13)

“You have searched me, Lord, and you know me. You know when I sit and when I rise; you perceive my thoughts from afar. You discern my going out and my lying down; you are familiar with all my ways. Before a word is on my tongue you, Lord, know it completely.” – (Psalm 139)

God is right here, this very moment. He is wanting to be close to us, and guide us through this sometimes difficult and insane life. And His power and love will never fail us. Let us draw near, and let God take the lead in this dance that we call life. And only then we will truly be dancing with the stars.

Image courtesy of: gwilmore

Prayer:
Dear heavenly Father, thank you for your Word and revelation today. Thank you for blessing me with another day to live and walk and breathe. Help me to use my time wisely Lord. Help me to seek you first, and to always put you first. Help me to be close to you Lord, and not follow you at a distance. Do not let me sit on the sidelines to “see the outcome.” Help me to be a person of action Lord, for your glory. Let your Holy Spirit overflow in us that it cannot be contained. Let your light be so bright that darkness cannot be anywhere near. Guide us and strengthen us today and every day. We give you all the honor and glory and praise, in Jesus mighty name. Amen.

Photo By gwilmore

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