Friends in High Places –
Last night I was going through “Our Prayer” and was struck by the greeting, “Dear LORD our Heavenly Father.” We are so close that we can address GOD in such a personal term! Yes that was part of a written prayer, but I can call on Him whenever I want. In fact, he wants me to call on Him more than I do. He wants that kind of personal relationship. It was His idea!
I have worked around some high-ranking and powerful people in the military. I was aware they had more important things on their mind than me, so I was as brief as possible when speaking to them and kept strictly to business. Even in a social situation, I knew there was a barrier between us. The military reinforced that separation between enlisted personnel (like me) and Officers, to maintain discipline.
To many of the Officers, I was just a resource to help them do their job. I knew my place and tried to stay in it. Even when they tried to be friendly, I knew we weren’t “friends” and I should respectfully limit my interaction. If they ask how I am doing, they didn’t really want to know my condition or problems.
When I joined the State Department, it was less structured and harder to draw the lines between myself and the higher-ups. As I advanced and took on more responsibilities, there were times when I had to establish a working relationship with them, but there was still a distance between us. My job was to support their diplomatic mission. I was there for them, they weren’t there for me.
That is why it was so hard to accept how much GOD cares for me. Even though I grew up singing “Jesus loves me, this I know” He is so high and exalted and I am not. I know my place, but in His infinite mercy and grace GOD cares about me. He really wants a closer relationship with me. He wants me to ask for His help. He wants me to serve Him, but that is as much for my good as others. I can never repay what He has done for me.
It is a little easier to believe when I consider “God so loved the world that He gave His one and only Son, that whoever believes in Him shall not perish but have eternal life” (John 3:16 NIV). He loves “the world” and His offer is open to “whoever” will believe. He didn’t wait until we were good enough. He makes us good enough when we accept His Son. “While we were still sinners, Christ died for us” (Rom 5:8) so we could become Sons of GOD.
Wayne Lance (2017)