Never Out of His Reach
Well, good night a’livin’, would you take a look at that, friend? You come right on up here and settle yourself into this ol’ porch circle like you are steppin’ into a mountain cabin where the kettle’s plum warm and the welcome is downright warmer. It’s just a real pleasure to see you here today! Pull up that rocker over yonder that creaks like a sho’-nuff storyteller that has lived through more winters than a wise ol’ bobcat that ain’t in any hurry. If you could hear that feisty lil’ ol’ squirrel fussin’ at a stubborn ol’ mule deer that keeps claimin’ the best patch of berries, or smell that pot of apple butter bubblin’ slow on the stove, you’d plum know you have stepped into a place where your heart can breathe easy.
Now let’s be checkin’ in on a truth sturdier than a moss covered ridge stone that has held its ground through a thousand seasons. Psalm 139:7-10 says, “I can never escape from your Spirit. I can never get away from your presence. If I go up to heaven, you are there. If I go down to the grave, you are there. If I ride the wings of the morning, if I dwell by the farthest oceans, even there your hand will guide me, and your strength will support me.” That there’s sho’-nuff omnipresence. And slid right beside it is Jeremiah 23:24, “Do I not fill heaven and earth?” These verses fit real good like two pine cones rollin’ down the same hillside, remindin’ us that God ain’t ever far away.
And tucked in for deeper truth is Deuteronomy 31:8, “The Lord Himself goes before you and will be with you.” That verse settles into the heart like a warm quilt on a cold night, remindin’ us that God ain’t just around us. It's tellin' us that He's downright everywhere echoin' the ol’ words of "St. Patrick’s Breastplate Prayer," that says, "Christ is with us, Christ is before us, Christ is behind us, Christ is above us, Christ is beneath us, Christ is all around us."
Jonah tried to outrun God like a spooked lil ol’ jackrabbit dartin’ through the brush, but he sho’-nuff found out real quick that God’s presence ain’t somethin’ you can dodge. Whether Jonah was on a ship, in a storm, or plum swallowed up by a giant fish, God was already right there.
And, friend, that same presence is with you when life gets mighty tangled, when storms rise, and when valleys get dark. Psalm 23 reminds us that, “Even when I walk through the darkest valley, I will not be afraid, for you are close beside me.”
Father, thank You for bein’ everywhere I am. Thank You for goin’ before me, standin’ behind me, watchin’ over me, and holdin’ me steady. Help me walk in Your presence with trust, peace, and confidence. In Jesus’ name, Amen.
Well, snap my suspenders and watch me bounce, friend, as you leave here today and make your way back into the stir of your day, carry this here truth the way a tall cedar carries the cool hush of dawn, steady and sure. Move forward with the quiet boldness of a river otter glidin’ through clear water, knowin’ it ain’t ever alone. Move like a lil’ ol’ meadow lark takin’ flight at sunrise, guided by the One who knows every inch of the sky ahead. And remember, wherever your boots land today, God is already there, sho’-nuff ready to guide you and able to downright hold you steady.
With joy,
Gwen
