When our sons were young, we lived in Mississippi for several years. Through a mutual friend, Colin and Christopher were invited to visit the office of the Lieutenant Governor. Entering the Capitol building was an experience! The huge, wide halls and very tall ceilings made it feel stately and important. When we entered the area where her offices were, it was very busy, with people coming and going. After a few minutes, we were taken into her private office. She warmly welcomed us and invited us to sit with her and chat, as if she had nothing else to do.

It just so happened that the day before our visit, she had been very visible in the news because she had switched political parties. She had even received a telephone call from the President of the United States! She talked to us about the call, and then she talked with the boys about their interests. After visiting for a few minutes, she led us to the Senate Chamber where she took the boys up the stairs to the podium. She explained this was where she presided when congress was in session and even let them tap the giant gavel! Several times she told the boys, “You have made my day by coming to see me!”

We may not think about this often, but God feels the same way about us! He invites us to visit with Him, and when we do, He welcomes us warmly, with open arms, as if He has nothing to do except be with us. He is the creator of the universe, and He wants to spend time with you! We miss so many opportunities to meet with Him. Won’t you go to a quiet place and enjoy His presence?

He is waiting for you.

“Come near to God, and He will come near to you.” James 4:8

Deep in the woods of Louisiana, far from the city lights, it gets very dark at night. When I was in college, I sometimes went home with my roommate to her parents’ country home. When we went to bed at night, the room was pitch black.

One weekend, when morning arrived and it was still completely dark outside, we were awakened by a blaring alarm clock. My roommate couldn’t reach it immediately because she had put the clock across the room with objects in the path between her bed and the clock. Her strategy was that as she ran into the chairs and other items she had strategically placed, she woke up because she couldn’t put the alarm on “snooze!” This particular morning, though, after a few minutes of stumbling around the room, she said with exasperation, “I don’t know where I am!”

Lately, it seems most of us have been feeling this way, as our lives have been upended due to the pandemic. There are obstacles in our paths back to our “normal” life, and we may feel like we are stumbling blindly in the dark. But we are not alone! Even if you feel your life hangs in the balance during this pandemic, God knows the future! Based on His promises, He will be with us, even in these very difficult times.

Deuteronomy 31:6 says, “Be strong and courageous. Do not fear or be in dread, for the Lord your God goes with you. He will never leave you nor forsake you.”

He promised.