A comforting factor that a number of believers cannot take to heart is that the Lord is always in our midst. Sometimes our ways do not match His; our thoughts do not give Him the suitable place in our hearts. Even then, He is in our midst. Sin is the one factor that separates a believer from His intimacy. If he or she lives longer in it, they may forget or be hypnotized by the devil to think they have been cut off from Him forever. It is great sadness! Then the one in sin will not even dare to call upon Him, for to him or her it is a lost cause. But this is not at all the truth. Listen to this hope and faith – “Why are You like a man dismayed, like a mighty man who cannot save? Yet You are in our midst, O LORD, and we are called by Your name; Do not forsake us!” (Jer. 14:9).
Israel was not a perfect people. In fact, they drifted very far away from the perfect beauty God gave them. When realization effected them, they called on Him with the perfect knowledge that He is still there in their midst. He was there for the very reason that He could listen to such a faith. At no point He took His eyes off them. But He was silent, not performing works for them as before; He did not involve in their daily matters; He took off His guard around them; He did not save them from every trouble. He remained as a mighty man that has been tied up, and He was tied up by His incorruptible morals.
When a person called by His name, He does not leave him. This is the beauty of being saved by grace through faith alone. But, each one has to examine himself when God is not working toward him so he can understand the reason for it. One thing we can always be sure of is that He is always in the midst of believers. He may remove His glory from their midst for a time, because of their conduct; they may lose His intimacy for a while, but never Him as God almighty. If they have His name, i.e. if He has put His seal on them, they always have Him. It makes sense, because they will know by the manner He made them turn to Him. How can one go about making the most of this wonderful knowledge? Using these as stepping stones will help.
- Taking measures. One of the things a believer loses when he loses His intimacy is guidance. For the lack of it one may suffer many consequences. “‘Behold, days are coming,’ declares the Lord GOD, ‘When I will send a famine on the land, Not a famine for bread or a thirst for water, But rather for hearing the words of the LORD’” (Amos 8:11). One does not hear from Him; he does not hear His voice from the word. Though he may occasionally read it when pride permits, He does not converse with him. The immediate measure he should take is forsaking anything that should not have been touched or entertained in the first place. His heart knows them. In other words, set the house in order; the Lord too will help in this matter by his zeal. The next measure is to make supplications.
- Recollection. Bringing to mind all the things the Lord accomplished in his life acts as a major boost to take the needed measures. “Inasmuch as many have undertaken to compile an account of the things accomplished among us” (Luke 1:1). Begin compiling an account. It sets the tone for your desire to get back to God. Luke must have been absolutely delighted to write the account about Jesus and the things He did for His people. It made him be in Jesus. When one composes a similar account of Him in his life, he has absolute joy. It is a defeat to sin and Satan and he is on his way to victory.
- Waiting. Cornelius did everything he should and waited on God. And this happened – “he said, ‘What is it, Lord?’ And he said to him, ‘Your prayers and alms have ascended as a memorial before God’” (Acts 10:4). At this point Cornelius won the victory. Because He is in your midst, your prayers will ascend as a good deed before God. You have submitted to Him wholly again. And now He works in your life just as before or even more. But, beyond all this your relationship with Him increases many fold.