We May Not Have Noticed But It Was God All Along

In Paul’s remarkable speech in front of the philosophers in the center of Athens, he makes that claim that “God is not far from any one of us“ (Acts 17:27). Paul is talking to people who absolutely do not believe in his God, and yet he’s convinced that God is near them.

In a very different passage from hundreds of years before Paul gave that speech, the Spirit spoke through the prophet Hosea these words about how God is indeed very near each of us, camouflaged in human form.

It was I who taught Ephraim to walk,
    taking them by the arms;
but they did not realize
    it was I who healed them.
I led them with cords of human kindness,
    with ties of love.
To them I was like one who lifts
    a little child to the cheek,
    and I bent down to feed them. - Hosea 11:3-4

Larry Dove encouraged us to spend some time reflecting on our childhoods, pondering how we’ve been mentored along the way by various teachers, family members, and others. As you take some time doing that reflection today, add to it the insights from these scriptures. Namely, that all along it was God showing you love, it was God helping you along, it was God providing for you.