John 10:10, John 20:22, Matthew 4:4

Nick Welford reflects on how close our proximity is to God

Nick Welford

Life - it seems to move so fast sometimes it can feel like we are spinning out of control. Modern technology that was meant to make our lives easier, has arguably made us busier than ever. A stroll down most streets will find people staring at their phones or slipping headphones into their ears. Silence is lost as we can't even pause for a second. How many moments to connect with God do we miss in a day? How have we become so scared of silence?

Moments - our days our literally filled with them. Each of them a glorious opportunity, or a spurned chance. Our days are filled with potential and yet we have believed lies. Lies about where we should find our satisfaction, how we should be fulfilled, what is important; and they have left us wanting more. The problem is we keep looking in the same old places that have never properly filled our lives with anything more than a short term buzz.

Life - it is what we are all after. Jesus promised we would have it and have it to the full (John 10:10), and yet many of us don't experience that. Rather than going to the source we slowly become jaded, bitter and cynical. We think that we are the only ones who feel this way. That every other Christian is living it up and that somehow we are the only one who gets it wrong.

Moments - they are where we meet God. If we allow ourselves to be open to today; if we connect with God from the off; if we can be full of the Spirit, not to speak in other tongues, or get wacky pictures, but simply to navigate the pitfalls of one day, then maybe just maybe we will meet God in those moments.

Life - to live we need to breathe. The Greek word for spirit is pneuma. It also means breath. The Bible is full of examples where they are both interlinked - God breathes his Spirit into a body formed from dust and it lives; Ezekiel prophesies to the breath and it brings life to the skin and bones army and in John 20:22 the resurrected Jesus breathes on his disciples and says, "Receive my Spirit".

Moments - chances to meet God, to have him breathe on you and give you life. Your fullness of life will depend on one thing - proximity. In the morning our son will run into our room to join us for a snuggle. It is a great time. Unfortunately our son is not immune to the human condition of 'bed breath'. Sometimes I can smell him coming before I see or hear him. Then he jumps into the bed and we are eyeball to eyeball; his face pressed against mine and then things get real. All I can smell is bed breath; sometimes I think I can taste it and my eyes are watering, but I love it. The point is the effect is stronger the closer we are together. If your experience of the Spirit has been lacking, maybe you need to draw closer to the mouth of God and let him breathe life into you, in every moment of every day.

'Jesus answered, 'It is written: "Man shall not live on bread alone, but on every word that comes from the mouth of God."' Matthew 4:4