Did you ever see the movie Bruce Almighty? In the movie God shares His powers with Bruce enabling him to hear people’s prayers. Constantly bombarded with requests and unable to handle them all, what does Bruce do?  He sets up an impersonal, automatic email reply.

Does God respond to us as Bruce did? No!

He is a personal God. His replies to us are never generic, automated messages.  God responds in the way that is best for us.

In the beginning there were only two people on the earth, Adam and Eve. Now, there are 8.3 billion people worldwide! ¹ Bruce couldn’t handle all their requests, but God can.

GOD KNOWS US ALL,
HEARS US ALL,
AND SEES US ALL

whether we believe in Him or not.

O Lord, You have searched me and known me.
 You know my sitting down and my rising up;
You understand my thought afar off.
 You comprehend my path and my lying down,
And are acquainted with all my ways,
Psalm 139:1-3

GOD PAYS ATTENTION TO US ALL.

The number of people on earth may have changed since Adam and Eve, but the Lord hasn’t.

Jesus Christ is the same yesterday, today, and forever,
Hebrews 13:8

The personal attention that God gave to Adam & Eve is the same as He pays to us today.

PROVISION²

Imagine living as Adam and Eve in the Garden of Eden.

Running through the garden was a crystal river surrounded with fragrant trees filled with vibrantly colored blossoms, lush, green foliage and bounties of succulent fruit.  Dinner could simply be plucked from a tree and their thirst quenched from the cool, refreshing river.

We may not live in the Garden of Eden, yet when we trust in Him, God still provides for us.

And my God will supply all your need
 according to His riches in glory in Christ Jesus,
Philippians 4:19

RELATIONSHIP

God was not distant, but walked and talked with Adam and Eve. Now, we don’t know if they physically saw God, but they would have felt His presence and heard His voice.

Through Jesus, we can still have a personal relationship with God today.  We can feel His presence and hear His voice. ³

And your ears shall hear a word behind you, saying,
‘This is the way, walk in it,’
when you turn to the right or when you turn to the left,
Isaiah 30:21

PROTECTION

God protected Adam & Eve from the emotions that tear at our souls warning them to avoid the tree of the knowledge of good and evil.  However, He still gave them free will and they used it to make a wrong choice, (Genesis 3:1-7).

Disobeying God, Adam & Eve ate of the tree of the knowledge of good and evil. Suddenly feeling the fear and shame God hoped to protect them from, they hid from God.

Today, we all experience negative emotions such as fear or shame. However, God in His love and mercy is ready to heal our brokenness.

He heals the brokenhearted
 And binds up their wounds,
Psalm 147:3

LOVING CORRECTION

The Lord knew Adam & Eve had disobeyed Him, yet He didn’t abandon them or send them an impersonal email.  He made the connection personal with His presence and His voice.

And they heard the sound of the Lord God
walking in the garden in the cool of the day,
and Adam and his wife hid themselves from the presence
of the Lord God among the trees of the garden.
Then the Lord God called to Adam and said to him,
 “Where are you?”
 Genesis 3:8,9

 So, he said, “I heard Your voice in the garden, 
and I was afraid because I was naked; and I hid myself.”
Genesis 3:10

Even though there were consequences to Adam and Eve’s disobedience, God showed His love and compassion by making them garments from skins, (Genesis 3:21).  God still loved them unconditionally just as He still loves us, (1 John 4:9-10).

When we disobey, God doesn’t abandon us or respond impersonally.  There will be consequences to our disobedience but they are administered in unconditional love.

But you have forgotten that the Scriptures say to God’s children,
When the Lord punishes you,
don’t make light of it,
and when He corrects you,
don’t be discouraged.
The Lord corrects the people
He loves
and disciplines those
He calls his own.
Hebrews 12:5-7 CEV

By faith in Jesus, we can have the personal relationship God desires to have with each of us as His children.

Therefore, if anyone is in Christ, he is a new creation. 
The old has passed away; behold, the new has come. 
All this is from God, 
who through Christ reconciled us to himself,
2 Corinthians 5:17-18a ESV

Jesus is our way to God.

Jesus said to him, 
“I am the way, the truth, and the life. 
No one comes to the Father except through Me,
John 14:6

Like a loving parent, God wants to provide, protect, correct when needed and help us to grow into the person He designed us to be.

REFLECTION

Do you have the kind of personal relationship you want with God?*

PRAYER

Heavenly Father, as I write Isaiah 30:21 and say it aloud, help me to hear Your voice and feel Your presence. Grow my faith to have a deeper personal relationship with You. In Jesus name, Amen.

WITH FAITH IN JESUS, GOD IS PERSONAL

Comment!

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*For information on making Jesus Christ your Savior, email me or visit, http://www.peacewithgod.net/

1worldometers.info
2  blog-  Faith for GOD’S PROVISION! – DianeLese
3  blog – Faith – TUNE IN! – DianeLese
Photo bird, valentinhintikka
Photo baby, vitolda-klein