Living Close to the Father’s Heart ❤️

SCRIPTURES

Acts 17:28 (NLT)

“For in him we live and move and exist. As some of your own poets have said, ‘We are his offspring.’”

Psalm 34:18 (NLT)

“The Lord is close to the brokenhearted; he rescues those whose spirits are crushed.”

Isaiah 66:13 (NLT)

“I will comfort you there in Jerusalem as a mother comforts her child.”

Ephesians 4:1–6 (NLT)

“Therefore I, a prisoner for serving the Lord, beg you to lead a life worthy of your calling, for you have been called by God. Always be humble and gentle. Be patient with each other, making allowance for each other’s faults because of your love. Make every effort to keep yourselves united in the Spirit, binding yourselves together with peace. For there is one body and one Spirit, just as you have been called to one glorious hope for the future. There is one Lord, one faith, one baptism, one God and Father of all, who is over all, in all, and living through all.”

Living Close to the Father’s Heart

Good morning, everyone! Pull up a chair, settle in, and let's talk about something we all need reminding of from time to time.

You are never as far from God as you might feel.

Some mornings, we wake up ready to tackle the world. We have our plans, our to-do lists, and enough energy to get things accomplished. Other mornings, we wonder if we can make it through the day without crawling back under the covers!

Life has a way of reminding us that we are human, doesn't it?

Sometimes the challenges are small. Other times, they knock us right off our feet. We face sickness, financial worries, family struggles, disappointment, and those situations where we simply don't know what to do next.

And sometimes, the hardest part is watching someone we love suffer when there is very little we can do to make things better.

Ross and I are experiencing a little of that right now. His back pain has been significant, and we're trying to work through the doctor's appointments, medication changes, and figuring out what comes next. We even had to miss Tribe Thursday, something we were both disappointed about.

We love those kids, and serving alongside them is something that brings us joy. But sometimes, life requires us to stop, rearrange our plans, and recognize that rest is necessary.

We're learning, once again, that we can make plans, but we still have to leave room for God's direction.

And do you know what? God is just as present in the waiting room as He is in the serving room.

He is with us when we're doing something wonderful for others, and He is with us when we're sitting at home, tired, worried, and wondering how long a difficult season will last.

Acts 17:28 reminds us that in Him we live, move, and exist.

Think about that for a moment.

We don't have to shout across some enormous distance to get God's attention. We don't have to climb a mountain, perform a certain number of good deeds, or have all our problems neatly organized before we can approach Him.

He is already here.

The Hebrew word bāṭaḥ (בָּטַח) means to trust, to feel secure, or to rely upon someone.

Trust doesn't mean we understand everything happening around us. It means we can lean on the One who sees what we cannot.

Sometimes, trusting God means taking the next step. Sometimes, it means asking for help. And sometimes, it means sitting quietly and admitting, "Lord, I don't know what to do with this, but I'm placing it in Your hands."

That is still faith, my friends!

When Our Hearts Hurt

Psalm 34:18 gives us a beautiful promise: the Lord is close to the brokenhearted.

Notice that it doesn't say God is close only to those who have everything figured out. It doesn't say He comes near only when our faith is strong and our smiles are genuine.

He comes close when our hearts hurt.

The Hebrew word qārôḇ (קָרוֹב) means near or close. It describes the nearness of God, not merely in distance, but in His care and willingness to be present with His people.

And the Hebrew word shābar (שָׁבַר) can mean to break or shatter. When Scripture speaks of brokenhearted people, we are reminded that God sees those places in us that feel shattered.

He sees the tears we don't let other people see. He understands the worries we struggle to explain. He knows when we're trying to be strong for someone else while quietly struggling ourselves.

We don't have to pretend with God.

We can tell Him we're tired. We can tell Him we're afraid. We can even tell Him that we don't understand why something is happening.

God is not frightened by our honesty.

Sometimes we mistakenly believe that having faith means never feeling anxious, never getting discouraged, or never asking difficult questions.

But faith isn't the absence of difficult feelings. Faith is learning where to take those feelings.

We take them to our Father.

The Tenderness of Our Heavenly Father

Isaiah 66:13 compares God's comfort to a mother comforting her child.

What a beautiful picture!

Think about a little child who has fallen and scraped a knee. The child isn't looking for a lecture about being more careful next time. The child wants someone to pick them up, hold them close, and help them feel safe again.

There is a time for instruction, but there is also a time for comfort.

Our Heavenly Father understands both.

The Greek word paraklēsis (παράκλησις) means comfort, encouragement, or consolation. It is a word associated with coming alongside someone to strengthen and encourage them.

Isn't that what we need sometimes? Someone to come alongside us when the road gets difficult?

God may comfort us through His Word, through prayer, through a friend who calls at just the right time, or through someone who quietly helps us carry a burden.

We may pray for God to change our circumstances, and sometimes He does. Other times, He gives us strength to walk through circumstances we would never have chosen.

We don't always get to choose the season we're in, but we can choose to invite God into it.

And we can remember that His presence is not measured by how quickly our circumstances change.

Sometimes the healing takes time. Sometimes the answers come slowly. Sometimes we must keep seeking help, taking the next practical step, and praying for wisdom along the way.

Waiting on God doesn't mean we stop doing what we can. It means we don't have to carry the entire burden by ourselves.

Living Out the Father's Love

Now, let's talk about what happens when we begin to understand just how deeply we are loved.

Ephesians 4 calls us to be humble, gentle, patient, and willing to make allowances for one another.

That sounds wonderful, doesn't it?

Until somebody irritates us before we've finished our first cup of patience!

Let's be honest. It's much easier to talk about being patient than it is to practice patience when we're exhausted, hurting, worried, or dealing with someone whose behavior challenges every ounce of self-control we possess.

The Greek word makrothymia (μακροθυμία) means patience, forbearance, or long-suffering. It describes the ability to endure difficult circumstances or people without giving up on love.

And prautēs (πραΰτης) means gentleness or meekness. Gentleness is not weakness. It is strength that doesn't need to be harsh to make its point.

These qualities are especially important in our closest relationships.

When someone we love is hurting, we may need extra patience. When we're the ones struggling, we may need to ask others for that same patience.

Sometimes love looks like preparing a meal. Sometimes it looks like listening without trying to fix everything. Sometimes it means giving someone room to rest instead of expecting them to keep going.

And sometimes, love means admitting that we need a little grace ourselves!

Ross and I have spent nearly fifty years learning about marriage, service, faith, and the ordinary challenges of life. We haven't always gotten everything right. We've had wonderful seasons and some mighty difficult ones.

But through it all, we've learned that we don't have to be perfect to keep walking with God.

We simply have to keep turning toward Him.

We want to serve, encourage, and love others. But we're also learning that we need to receive care, accept help, and allow ourselves time to recover when life becomes overwhelming.

We cannot pour endlessly into others without allowing God to refill our hearts.

And that brings us to one of the most important reminders for today.

You are allowed to rest without feeling guilty.

You are allowed to say no when you need to say no. You are allowed to ask for help. You are allowed to have a difficult day without deciding that you've somehow failed God.

Your worth isn't determined by how much you accomplish.

God loved you before you completed your first task, volunteered for your first ministry, or helped the first person in need.

His love is not a paycheck for good behavior.

It is a gift of grace.

Bringing It All Together

So, my friends, wherever you find yourself today, remember that you are living in the presence of a God who knows you completely and loves you faithfully.

If your heart is hurting, He is near.

If you're exhausted, He understands.

If you're waiting for healing, answers, or a change in circumstances, He has not abandoned you.

And if you're having a wonderful day, remember to share some of that goodness with someone who may be struggling.

We never really know what another person is carrying.

A little kindness, a patient response, a listening ear, or a simple prayer can make a difference we may never fully understand.

Today, let's stop measuring our faith by how much we can accomplish. Instead, let's measure our progress by how willing we are to trust God, receive His comfort, and extend His grace to the people around us.

We may not know what tomorrow holds, but we can face today knowing Who holds us.

And that, my friends, is a wonderful place to begin!

A Few Questions to Carry With You Today

1. Resting in His Presence: Acts 17:28 reminds us that we live, move, and exist in God. What might change in your day if you deliberately paused to remember that you are never facing life alone?

2. Receiving His Comfort: Psalm 34:18 tells us that God is close to the brokenhearted. Is there an area of your life where you've been trying so hard to be strong that you've forgotten to let God comfort you?

3. Extending His Grace: Ephesians 4 calls us to practice patience and gentleness. Is there someone in your life who needs a little extra understanding from you today? Could you offer that grace while remembering that you need grace, too?

4. A Small Assignment: Take five quiet minutes today. You don't have to accomplish anything during those five minutes. Simply breathe, talk to God honestly, and remind yourself that His love isn't dependent on your productivity.

If you know someone who is struggling, consider sending them a kind message or offering a simple prayer. You don't have to fix their situation to remind them that they aren't alone.

A Prayer for Today

Heavenly Father,

Thank You for being close to us, especially when life becomes difficult. Thank You that we don't have to pretend to be strong when our hearts are hurting or our bodies are tired.

Lord, today I lift up everyone who is struggling with pain, illness, worry, disappointment, or uncertainty. Please bring comfort to the brokenhearted, strength to the weary, and wisdom to those trying to make difficult decisions.

Father, I especially ask for Your healing touch upon Ross. Please ease his pain, guide his doctors, and give us wisdom about the next steps to take. Help us recognize when further medical care is needed, and give us patience as we work through this difficult time.

Please help us remember that resting is not failing, that asking for help is not weakness, and that we don't have to understand everything to trust You.

Teach us to be gentle with one another. Help us listen before we speak, offer grace when others struggle, and remember that every person we meet is carrying a story we may not know.

When we feel overwhelmed, remind us that You are near. When we are discouraged, renew our hope. When we are tempted to carry everything ourselves, teach us to lean on You.

May our homes, our churches, our friendships, and our communities become places where people experience Your love through our words and actions.

We place this day, our concerns, our loved ones, and our future in Your hands.

In the precious name of Jesus, Amen.

The Lord's Prayer (KJV)

Our Father which art in heaven, Hallowed be thy name.

Thy kingdom come. Thy will be done in earth, as it is in heaven.

Give us this day our daily bread.

And forgive us our debts, as we forgive our debtors.

And lead us not into temptation, but deliver us from evil: For thine is the kingdom, and the power, and the glory, for ever.

Amen.

❤️

BELIEVE, OBEY, BE BLESSED AMEN BOBBA ❤️