WILFONG It's all about location

I just received my new phone. It was a late Christmas gift from my wife. It’s interesting how changing phones has changed over the years. At one time all the information you had on your old phone was lost, and you had to manually put everything in. Now, you just take a picture of a funky looking box, and everything goes to the new phone.

However, I was offered a chance for the phone and the service to know my location. I took it. As a circuit rider with an almost 100-mile circuit, I find it comforting for my loved ones to know where I am. So, I made sure the location thingy was on.

Then I got to thinking about how God knows where we all are, and that too I find comforting. In fact, God is continually looking for all his sheep. Some try to be harder to find than others, but for God, He has his location thingy on all of us.

Yes, God is always looking for us, physically, mentally, and spiritually. There is nothing hidden from Him, and I have the verses to prove it; “For the Son of man came to seek and to save the lost” Luke 19:10, “Behold, I myself will search for my sheep and will seek them out” Ezekiel 34:11, “The Lord looks down from heaven on the Children of man, to see if there are any who understand, who seek after God” Psalm 14:2. The list goes on.

Suffice it to say, God is seeking you and knows where you are. He is aware of your circumstances and he loves you anyway. He is constantly trying to let you know he wants you.

You see, God did not create and then leave. God doesn’t do that. Even through all the sins, trials, wrong turns and bad decisions in our lives, God still wants us to be with him. God has never given up on his creation nor has he given up on you.

Now, I don’t know who it is that needs to hear this, but God wants you. He wants you to talk to him, to walk with him and to listen to him. It is that simple. God is love, (1 John 4:8) and since he is love, then you are loved.

If you are running from God, STOP. If you are hiding from God, STOP. He is already seeking you, and already knows what you need, so let him in. Turn it ALL over to God and stop being so hard on yourself.

Yes, I said it, we are often the most critical persons of ourselves. God’s love is so deep that through Christ, no matter where you are, your sins can be forgiven, and your life can be renewed.

Now, if you didn’t need to hear that, get out and tell someone who does need to hear it, for God wishes no one to be lost.(2 Peter 3:9). Who knows, maybe it is your voice that God is using to call someone to him.

Just a thought

Shalom My Friends and I hope to see you in church.

Rev. Kent Wilfong is the pastor at the United Methodist Church, Doniphan/Neelyville.