God: Up Close and Personal

Jonah 1:17-2:10
Luke 11:14-26
“Then God spoke to the fish, and it spewed Jonah out upon the dry land” (Jonah 2:10). The image of God speaking to a fish is wonderful, primarily because it is presented so matter-of-factly (Jonah 2:10). Of course the Creator of the universe, of the earth with all of its living creatures, has the time and inclination to speak to one particular fish, who obediently spits Jonah out onto the shore. Clearly, God is involved in the story right down to one fish and one reluctant prophet. (Incidentally, while the human prophet has tried his best to run from God, the fish seems all too happy to cooperate.) Another image of an up-close God comes from the gospel of Luke. There Jesus refutes those who claim his healing power comes from the devil. No, if that were true, Jesus tells them, evil would be divided against itself. “But if it is by the finger of God that I cast out demons,” he continues, “then the kingdom of God has come to you” (Luke 2:21).

Whether whispering in the ear of a fish or reaching out to the ill and infirm with a healing touch, God is busy. But far more important than that, God is nearby, within earshot, within reach. God works, then, not just in grand, universal principles, but also within the day to day details, getting close enough to you and me to make a real difference in our lives. Each story, by the way, carries forward images from the creation accounts of Genesis. There God speaks the earth and universe into being. “And God said…” is the familiar refrain (for example Genesis 1:6, 9, 14, and 20). “…(T)hen the Lord God formed man from the dust of the ground…” (2:7) we read later, which seems to indicate that God’s hands became muddy in the creation process as well. God’s voice and God’s hands have been with us from the very beginning. God has always been “in the mix”, a fact which continues today.

Obviously we do not always recognize God’s work, and sometimes we may even doubt that God remains with us. But scripture is clear on the point, so clear that when we refer to Jesus Christ as Emmanuel (God with us) it is essentially redundant.

Prayer: Lord, you have been our shelter and our help from the very beginning. Help us to trust in your continued presence and to open our hearts to you. In Jesus’ name. Amen.