Return To Me

The story is told of an old couple who pulled up to a stop sign behind a much younger couple.  The old woman, setting over by the passenger door said, "Do you see how close they are setting?"  To which the old man replied, "I sure do."  "Do you remember when we used to sit that close?"  Again, "I sure do."  She then asked, "What happened to us, why do we sit so far apart?"  "I don't know," said the old man behind the wheel, "I haven't moved."

The story above speaks to the condition many find themselves in with The Lord.  They feel distant, wondering where God has gone, but He has gone nowhere, they have.  Just as in the days of Zechariah when God said, "Return to me,’ declares the Lord Almighty, ‘and I will return to you ,’ says the Lord Almighty" (Zech 1:3), it was God's people who needed to return to God.

This same message is found in the New Testament as well in James 4:8, "Draw near to God and He willl draw near to you."  In the days of the early church, it was still God's people who needed to draw near to him.  In Revelation 3:20, Jesus stands outside the church saying, "Behold, I stand at the door and knock.  If anyone would open the door, I would come in..."

Do you think it is any different today?  If you or I feel distant from God, who do you think has moved, who do you suppose needs to move back?  I believe the message is the same as in all of history - God stands patiently calling for us, "Return to Me."  Jus' Sayn.