"Where can I go from your Spirit? Where can I flee from your presence? If I go up to the heavens, you are there; if I make my bed in the depths, you are there. If I rise on the wings of the dawn, if I settle on the far side of the sea, even there your hand will guide me, your right hand will hold me fast" (Psalm 138:7-10).

Marie will occasionally share a story of taking our boys to the zoo when they were small. Things were going great until she happened to notice that the youngest son had disappeared.   I can almost hear the frantic tone in her voice as she called out, "Where are you!, I can't see you!"   The search lasted a few tense moments as she scrambled to locate the missing boy, only to find that he had wanted to go ahead on his own.

Have you ever been that kid, running ahead just when mom or dad isn't looking, going where you wanted to go, doing what you wanted to do? As kids, we sometimes do not think about the grief we might cause simply by doing our own thing.

Have you ever been that child, running away from God, thinking you can get away and be better off on your own? As much as a child likes his or her independence, a child of God likes to think he can get away from God from time to time. You ignore that voice of conscience once again. You turn away from loving invitations. You plug up your ears when the voice of God comes calling, "Where are you going?"

But, really, where can you go? A kid can easily run or hide from his parents, but where can you go from God? Can you go up to the clouds or live with the stars and be away from God? Can you dive into the depths of the sea and be away from God? Can you get so involved in yourself, or your activities, that you are hidden from God?

Never will you hear God calling out to you to say, "I can't find you!" In fact, according to the writer in Psalm 138, God has never left you! His presence has been with you no matter where you've been and will be with you no matter where you go.

That is good news! You may not want him there when you want to go your own way, but you have no choice. He will not remove his love from you no matter how high your desires, how deep your desperation, or how far and wide your earthly wanderings take you. Right there he stands waiting to catch you when you fall. Right there he stands waiting to take you back and restore you as his child. Right there he stands waiting, always watching, guiding, and holding fast.

God too never wants to have the feeling that he has lost you. Please don't run away. Stand with Him who always stands with you.

Blessings, 

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