GOD IS NEAR US

⏰Wednesday of the Third Week of Lent (07 March 2018)

????Deut 4:1, 5-9; Ps 147:12-13, 15-16, 19-20 (R.v.12a); Matt 5:17-19

????GOD IS NEAR US (cf. Deut 4:7)

The evangelist John wrote, “God is love, and he who abides in love abides in God and God in him” (1 John 4:16).

We have said it countless times that being close to God is what enables us gain his blessings and survive in this world that is full of challenges. We can only be close to God when we do his will. Hence, Moses told the people of Israel in Deut 4:1-9 to choose to do the will of God so that they might enter the promised land and live.

Consider these: Adam and Eve lost the Garden of Eden (Gen 3:23), Moses could not enter the Promised Land (cf. Deut 3:21-28), Saul lost the kingship (1 Sam 15:23), etc., because they did not do the will of God. On the other hand, Abraham got blessed (Gen 22:16-18), Rahab’s family was spared (cf. Josh 6:22-25), etc., because they did the will of God.

We should not consider that to mean that God is policing us about looking for those to bless or punish. In God is blessing and not curse.

Did you not hear John say that God IS love? He is always love; he is always near us to bless us. To be near him is to gain the blessing; to be away from him is to be away from the blessing.

God is drawing us to himself in this period of grace. He wants to be our God and we, his people, for our own good (cf. Jer 32:37-41). Are we going to turn down his invitation?

May He give us the grace to respond boldly and freely to this invitation. And may his blessings rain upon us in all that we do today and beyond. Amen.

Have a faithful and lovely day. Peace be with you.