he never moved...

i just had like a 1/2 hour conversation with a friend about some heavy stuff.  this dear friend of mine is going through a number of things, and has gone through some of them for more than a year.  he just got a divorce after months of separation from his wife and for no real apparent reason.  needless to say, he has been a bit in the grey.  then his job for a major corporate financial firm is being moved to South America and he needs to decide what to do, if he stays in NYC or moves down south, etc.  i have been there for most of the process so we talk about it from time to time.

as we spoke he mentioned that because he has been away from God he feels that it's hard to pray for guidance and/or wisdom since he feels that he doesn't have the right.  why would God listen to him they've been part?  while i was talking to him i said something that as i think of it just makes me realize how amazing this God of mine is.  i told him that it is true, he can't expect to listen to God's voice as easily because it would be as if I went to a friend that i have not seen in ten years and without saying hello ask him to lend me $400,00 to pay for a new liver or some major crisis like that. from our human perspective that would make no sense.  so he was like, "exactly!"  why would He answer?  i responded by saying that God is not the problem, he is the problem.  as he walked father and farther way from God, He never moved. God didn't budge an inch.  he stayed right where he was facing our backs.  we are the problem.  likewise, to the measure that we moved away from God we have to then turn back and walk back towards him, and he is there right where He stayed.  God is always willing to embrace us; to forgive us; to love us.  He never moves.  His love never changes.  we, however, always sway and fail to see that only our side of the equation fluctuates; his doesn't.

this is what we see---forgive my ghetto "virtual" drawing: 
before   :::::::::::::::::::: me & God :::::::::::::::::::::::::::::::
after      :::me:::::::::::::::: & :::::::::::::::::::God::::::::::::::

 however, this is what God sees: 
before   :::::::::::::::::::::: me & God ::::::::::::::::::::::::::::::
after      :::::me::::::::::::::::: & God:::::::::::::::::::::::::::::::
after-after :::::::::::::::::::me & God:::::::::::::::::::::::::::::::

 i know this is not, like, wow, the latest theological discovery but i find it interesting that we always think of a equidistant gap between God and us when in reality the distance is from us away from him.  He is the point of reference in all and immutable. therefore, anyway that moves, does so towards Him or away from him. His love for us never changes.

i hope that my friend finds that reassuring and understands that God is always there for him.  i know that i totally love the fact that He is there for me, regardless of the pull/push dance i may have going on in life.  there's so much more to know about this God who chooses to patiently wait for my childish tantrums to be over so and turn back to him.  not because he needs me but because he loves me.  he just stays there,