Finding GodThe God who made the world and everything in it, being Lord of heaven and earth, does not live in temples made by man, nor is he served by human hands, as though he needed anything, since he himself gives to all mankind life and breath and everything. And he made from one man every nation of mankind to live on all the face of the earth, having determined allotted periods and the boundaries of their dwelling place, that they should seek God, and perhaps feel their way toward him and find him. Yet he is actually not far from each one of us, for “‘In him we live and move and have our being'”
(Acts 17:24-28) Thursday, Sixth Week after Pentecost Blessed Lord God Heavenly Father, You are present everywhere. You fill the universe with your glory. You have revealed yourself in the person of Jesus Christ, and You have declared your praises in your Holy Scriptures. Grant that all who seek you may find you. Send your Holy Spirit to those who cry out to you in earnestness and with sincerity. Speak to them your words of instruction, comfort, and grace. Enable them to know you and your Son Jesus, so that they may have everlasting life and may live to your glory and be a light to others. Amen Dear friends, My wife and I went looking for the comet NEOWISE last night. You know, the one that if you missed seeing it you would have to wait another 7,000 years before it showed up again. That one. We were all excited. We had done some research that told us where approximately in the sky to look for it. It is currently 7 million miles away from earth, but thankfully it is close enough that it is visible to the naked eye around dusk. We first looked for it from the property where we have been staying. Unfortunately there were lots of trees, and the sun was just fading in the west which made it too light to see it properly. So we decided to go for a drive to find a better viewing location. We drove back to our old stomping grounds around High Drive and parked on the bluff. Perfect viewing location (so we and about 30 other people thought). We downloaded an app that showed where it might be in the sky. We quickly discovered that the app was directionally challenged. One moment it was pointing toward the northwest, the next moment it was pointing south. We sort of gave up on the app. But we kept looking. Even when the light faded in the distance, and the other stars started popping out. Still no comet. We surmised that maybe it was hiding behind a cloud…or maybe behind those trees over there. So we went on another drive. This time we went out to Airway Heights and drove down Flint road, away from all the city lights and trees, and we pulled off the road to look. We joked. Wouldn’t it be funny if it was right there all along. It was. We looked in the darkened sky and, “Wow!” There it was in all its splendor–right where it was supposed to be. It had been there all the time. We just couldn’t see it. It struck me that this often how it is in the search for God. Most people don’t look for God. They are too busy with their lives and dealing with their own problems to really look up. Others are seeking God, but they are looking for God in all the wrong places. Or there are too many distractions around them, too many obstacles in the way, or they are looking in the wrong direction. So they give up. Some even get a bit bitter and complain that God is never around when they need him. Or worse, they give up and write him off as non-existent. But the truth couldn’t be more plain. God is where God has always been. He is everywhere. There is not one square inch of the universe that He is not. He is not the universe, but His Eternal Being fills the universe. He is nearer to us than we can perceive. And the great thing is: God is able to be found by those who are seeking him. He has told us where to find him. He promises that wherever 2 or 3 gather in his name, he is there. He is present at every baptism. He is present at every communion service. He is where his word is proclaimed in its truth and purity. And He answers those who earnestly call on his name. God is so interactive with us humans, that he even became one himself so that we could get to know him better. If you are looking for God in all the wrong places, I would counsel you to find a place without any distractions. Pick up a Bible and pray a simple prayer. “God please reveal yourself to me this day.” Open up His word and dig in. Better yet, invite a Christian friend or pastor to take the discover journey with you. God promises, “Seek and you will find.” He’s been there all along. In the company of Jesus,
Pastor Langdon Reinke | 
