Article July 31, 1995 Issue

How close is God?

Linda Jo Beckers

On a clear night, looking up at the stars can awaken a sense of the grandness of life and a yearning to understand its mysteries, even to understand God Himself. Sometimes we reach out to ask, "Are You real?" The truth is, not only is God real; He is closer than we may have thought possible.

While it may be tempting to think of God as something or someone way out there somewhere, Christ Jesus' beloved disciple John was not vague or otherworldly in what he had to say about God. He said, "God is love" (I John 4:16).

Those words became very important to me when, during a difficult time, I turned to the Bible for answers and was surprised by the simplicity of John's statement. I thought about it often in the months that followed. During that time I moved across the country to accept a new job. My application explained that I had been experiencing a physical problem that would require flexibility in my work schedule. My employers had agreed to be as accommodating as possible. Most often I was free to live a normal life, but my menstrual cycle was preceded by several days of extreme discomfort. This had interrupted my work and school schedules so much that I questioned whether I would be able to hold a normal job. I had sought the help of medical specialists, but the prescribed medication did not bring relief and had unpleasant side effects. I discontinued that treatment. It appeared that I would just have to adapt my life to the problem.

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