How Close is God?

As a child I thought of God as seated on His golden throne far, far away in Heaven somewhere. He sat there like Abraham Lincoln in His giant monument in Washington D.C., far removed from my childhood in Redwood City, California.

I came to know the Lord Jesus and His awesome love when I was 16. I invited Him to take up residence in my heart. At first He was a good friend, then a best friend, then family, and now the love of my life. He is closer than a brother and closer than my husband.

In Ephesians 3:17–19, the apostle Paul prays for the people of God: “…That you, being rooted and grounded in love, may be able to comprehend…the width and length and depth and height—to know the love of Christ which passes knowledge; that you may be filled with all the fullness of God.”

The Bible says: “In Him we live and move and have our being.” (See Acts 17:28.) The Lord spoke this to me through that verse: "In Me you live and move and have your being. But this is also true: In YOU I live and move and have MY being as well. We are ONE Spirit. When you walk into a room, I walk into that room, too; within you. You cannot mark where My Spirit ends and your spirit begins. That is why you are seated with Me on My Throne in Heaven and walking on the earth at the same time. Where I AM you are, and where you are, I AM. "

The Lord wants us to know His love for us and for us to love Him in return. Jesus said, “Abide in Me.” (See John 15.) Abide means dwell or live. He wants us to live with Him and be in an intimate, love relationship with Him 24/7. Draw near to God and He will draw near to you. (See James 4:8.)

How close is God? As close as our heartbeat!