See, the shepherd is near.

How do you perceive faith? 

Let me just lay it out there. 

How do you perceive….God? 

Do you see Him as someone waiting to punish you for your past? 

Do you see Him as someone who is unfair, someone waiting to send you to hell?

I did. 

That’s how I perceived Him. 

I saw God as someone who didn’t love me for any reason I could fathom, but was quick to punish, cause suffering, pain, and not do anything to intervene when I was a helpless child. 

I saw God as someone who would rather send me to hell than deliver me from trauma, abuse, and pain. 

But then I encountered a love that changed all of that. 

That’s a story for another day. 

Somehow, throughout my life, I’ve managed to experience the love of God, and then drift from it. 

Here’s the deal: Our relationship to God will be directly correlated to our perception of Him. 

Yes, we should fear Him, but not as you would fear an abuser. 

Not as you would fear someone who has hurt you in any way. 

You would fear Him differently…a reverence. It’s not terror you feel towards Him…It’s reverence. 

It’s an absolute jaw-dropping awe of Him. 

But it is nearly impossible to experience this if you frame His love and your perception of Him through the lens of western religion. 

Here’s what I want you to know: The presence of God is alive and well. His love is unchanging. Hell is reserved for those who reject Him. He is compassionate and kind towards you and me. 

That’s it. There’s nothing you or I can do to change His love for us. 

It is unchanging. 

Forevermore. 

But we cannot expect to reject His love and His presence and have power to overcome the troubles of this world. 

It will lead to exhaustion, despair, and eternal death. 

This life, as Solomon said, “is but a vapor.” 

But in the vapor, the presence of God remains. 

He is there. A constant reminder, to “See, the Shepherd is Near.” 

He is near. One friend prayed with me a few months ago, and it went like this, “Dear Jesus, remind me of your presence.” 

Would you pray that right now? 

Take a deep breath in, and exhale, and pray this: 

“Dear Jesus, remind me of your presence.” 

He is there with you. 

Just like He was in the fire with Shadrach, Meschach, and Abednego. 

Just like He was in the lion’s den with Daniel. Just like He was at the parting of the Red Sea. 

Just like He’s been throughout our lives. 

Can I be real with you? 

Like, possibly uncomfortably real?

I asked Him, “Where were you when I was being hurt as a little boy?” 

Here’s the answer: He preserved me. 

There’s a much deeper answer, a bit too complex to include here, but He was the reason I survived that, not the cause of it. 

Recently I was on the phone with a dear brother. He was expressing his concern over what he felt was a drifting from God. 

I know what he was talking about. 

I’ve felt that. 

Recently, too. 

What causes us to drift from such a powerful, precious, kind love? 

The troubles of this world, most often. 

I know we’re not the only ones. Can’t be. It’s easy to take our eyes off Jesus when we get focused on the various troubles we experience in this world. I get it. Maybe that’s why Jesus told us, “In this world you will have trouble. But take heart! I have overcome the world,” (John 16:33 NIV.) 

All the more reason to cling closely to Jesus since He overcame the emotions of humanity, and conquered the sins we deal with. He defeated it all. 

My friends, I want you to know that I too have been struggling. In fact, barring a miracle from God, I don’t know if my “ministry” will survive. 

All in the will of the Father. In His time. On His watch. 

When I encourage you to pursue Jesus, it is not from empty lips or some place of believing in a fairy tale. I have been on a journey of faith since I left law enforcement; no investors, no backup plan, no choice but to trust in God to provide in every way for every need along the way. 

And in every season, and for every need, He has been faithful. 

Today, the greatest encouragement I can give you is to cling closely to Jesus. Don’t try to fix your stuff in your own understanding or ways. It is in a place of abiding, in all moments, where we willingly choose Him over our desires, that we will be empowered to endure, persist, and become more like Him through it all. 

I have failed so much over my life. And to be really transparent, I feel like I have failed in so many ways with this ministry and calling. 

But our own failures, our sins, the pain we’ve experienced, the stuff going on in the world today, none of it should change our perception of our Heavenly Father. 

He remains. 

He is. 

He was. 

He will always be. 

Faithful. 

Kind. 

Loving. 

Merciful.

I pray you experience His love and His presence even as you read this. May you experience one of the greatest miracles of humanity aside from salvation, and that is a shift in perspective when it comes to how you see Him. 

He awaits each of us with open arms, a kind countenance, and a loving embrace. 

And from that embrace, we serve. We love. We go. 

Be empowered to go into the world today and shine the light of His love in a world that is growing increasingly resistant to anything to do with Jesus. 

Be empowered to overcome the desires of your flesh. 

Be empowered to overcome the trials you face. 

God is faithful in all things, even when we cannot perceive it. 

He doesn’t change. 

See, the Shepherd is near!

Be encouraged in your pursuit of the Father.