Closer than the air around me - a reflection for April Fool's Day

 I was thinking about the fact that God's ways are right and true whether a person believes it or not, in the context of April Fool's Day, because I like to call it "Atheists Day". You may or may not have heard the joke about an atheist in court arguing that national holidays give Christians preference with Christmas and Easter but there is no special holiday for people who believe there is no God. The judge answers him and says, "yes, there is, it's called April Fools Day". (Psalm 14:1) Today, when the truth hit me, it was not about God's existence  but rather that His presence and love are with me, whether I choose to see it or not. Just as an unbeliever's view doesn't change who God is, my view doesn't change the fact that He is with me. There is a song off one of my favorite Amy Grant albums from the 80's called "Everywhere I go". The title for today's post is from a line in that song which says "closer than the air around me, you surround me always..." We learn in basic science class that the molecules of air are pressing in against us even if we can't see or feel them. The point of the songwriter is that God is even more so, as He always is...

I have often thought that if I am lazy or unfaithful about spending time in the Word or prayer, then I have shut off some invisible valve and I am missing the benefit of His love and care. We used to say in some circles, "If you feel far from God, guess who moved?" I found myself asking "How can we move away from God, He's omnipresent?" So I began thinking of it in the same terms as I do with those unbelievers. Our perception of how close or far God is in our lives does not change the Truth that He is involved, to will and to work His perfect plan. Ephesians talks about how God blessed us in the heavenly realms, which are all under His divine sovereignty - even when we can't see or feel Him -  his Spirit is there with us, for His pleasure and Glory. (Eph. 1:1-14) Any benefit we are missing is because we are not resting in the knowledge of what is true, everyday, all the time, wherever we are. Sometimes what we need is to ask for the eyes to see.

Lord, help me today, to remember that however changeable and fickle I am, You are steadfast and unmoving and here beside me, always...