Week 4 – Neither height nor depth, nor anything else in all creation

Sacred Insight: Living it out in community
How does this scripture apply to how you relate to your own community – whether fellow believers or those who are not yet believers?


Have you ever taken that camera lens with which you view yourself and your life and zoomed it out? Like, way.. way out? 

Close your eyes and try it for a moment. Think about how you are just one person in one house… in one city… in one state… in one country… on one continent… on one of many planets… in one galaxy of millions – all of which are a fraction of a fraction of an ever-expanding, unquantifiable mass of space and time. Whew. Makes ya a little dizzy to think about, huh?
 
Now consider the fact that, as tiny as we may seem in the midst of all that, neither time nor space – or as our scripture puts it, ‘height nor depth’, can separate us from God. So, in other words, if you were to hop on a space ship and fly to Pluto, you’d be just as close to God as you are now. 

That’s because God is in everything and through everything. Everything, literally everything was His creation and His presence spans it all.
 
Our scripture says that neither height, nor depth nor anything else in all creation can separate us from the Love of God.

“I can never escape from your Spirit! I can never get away from your presence! If I go up to heaven, you are there; if I go down to the grave, you are there!”
Psalm 139:7–8, NLT

Metaphorically, this is still true. If you were to rise to height of success or fame, or sink to the lowest depths of despair, God would be equally present. Our station in life is of no consequence to someone as all-powerful and majestic as God. We are always simply one of his children that he loves no matter what.


All this is wonderful knowledge in the context of thinking about self, but it is also beautiful to contemplate in context of others. It’s is a great reminder that God created and loves the little girl in Nairobi, or the elderly man in India, as much as He loves you and me.  Sometimes we need a reminder that that unhoused woman who sleeps under the interstate overpass is His beloved, cherished creation just as much as the husband and wife who own a high rise in Tokyo. Let this reminder of the Lord’s extensive, all-encompassing love and care bring both comfort and compassion for all of God’s children.

As you go through the week, take small pauses to stop and observe God’s presence. Whether you standing in the grocery line, climbing a hill on your bike, or pushing your way through a crowded concert, God is there. He is next to you no matter where you land, and nothing could ever be more powerful than His presence in your life.

Name some groups of people that you rarely think about. It could be a faraway continent or a town, church or school other than your own. As you name different groups, think about how God loves those people deeply.

When do you most feel God’s presence? Since God is with you always, consider why you feel his presence more sometimes, than others. Consider how your attention and perception weighs into the equation.

Live It Out:  

  • Speak blessings out loud over your community. Who are the people in your different communities? Family, friends, work, school?  Be a light to them by naming and affirming God’s work in their lives.
  • Make a list of a people group that you almost never think about. Perhaps it’s a school you do not attend, or a family you don’t know well.  Maybe it’s a country in Africa or a Jewish Synogogue. Pick 2 groups of people and commit to praying for them throughout the week, knowing that God cares for and loves those people.