Praise

I don't often wake with praise songs running through my head. I did more as a "younger" person. I have to admit, though, that days in which one wakes with praise on their hearts for their King are overall "better". They are days that just seem filled with His presence.

"God did this so that men would seek Him and perhaps reach out for Him and find Him, though He is not far from each one of us." Acts 17.27

This passage is out of a section in Acts speaking on the holiness of God, but also that He places us each in specific areas and times. Now, this could seem depressing. So I am placed here, in 2016, with RA? Sick and in pain?...?!?!
But when I read this passage I immediately thought "how wonderful!" We are each placed in the time and area that leads to the strongest likelihood to our reaching for God---yes, perhaps because of trials, but perhaps because of the people around us too. The missionaries, the college students, everyone who walks the Way and shines forth His love and goodness.
I would be among the first to cry out that I would rather have an "easy" life, to never have any ailment or trial. Marvelous! (And to be truthful, I think that is what the world attempts to lure people into believing they have as they delve deeper into sin. Oh, and that we are caught into that web!)

And yet, the time and place we are in is the most ideal chance for us to reach out and find God, for "He is not far from each one of us." That is indeed a soothing, incredible and wonderful thing. He is not far from each one of us.

The Old Testament peoples were given the Spirit sporadically. However, we, with the sanctification of the Christ, have the Spirit poured out on us always----not that we do not injure and ignore the Spirit. But He is always close to us. All we have to do is reach out with all of our hearts, that plaintive cry in the night, and He is there with open arms, as the father was in the story of the Prodigal son. How much more does the Shepherd rejoice for finding the one lost lamb?