by Kathy Stanford

I work with preschoolers at my church and they are often a source of inspiration. One of those “aha” moments occurred with a 3 year old I will call Anna. Having talked about the story of Noah and the ark, we were building an ark with large cardboard blocks. Anna expressed her desire to add a steering wheel so Noah could drive the ark. I told her I thought God was the one driving the ark and there probably wasn’t a steering wheel. The following exchange took place.

Anna: “Well, where is God?”

Me (forgetting for a moment the literal mind of a 3 year old): “God is everywhere, all around us.”

Anna, looking around, said: ” I think He’s on the shelf.”

She then ran over and grabbed a tall sorting stick and said: “Here He is! This is God.”

And so, God drove our ark.

As you can imagine, I spent the rest of the morning pondering a question we all need to ask. Have I put God on a shelf? Is He an integral part of my everyday, or do I just greet Him with a nod on Sunday morning and at various special occasions? And if He is on the shelf, why am I keeping Him there? Have I put Him there because I don’t need Him right now? Am I saving Him for the really big things I can’t handle on my own? Did I put Him away and go on to newer, more exciting interests? Am I afraid to trust Him with the current circumstances of my life?

Hebrews 10:22 tells us to draw near to God with a sincere heart and the full assurance that faith brings. And James 4:8 promises that if we draw near to God, He will draw near to us.  My friends, I want to encourage you to spend time with God everyday. He is just waiting for you to acknowledge Him. Talk to Him in prayer as you go through the day. Be aware of His constant presence. Read His word and He will speak to your heart. Don’t save Him on the shelf for the “big stuff”. He wants you to include Him in all of your life. And don’t be afraid to trust Him with your life circumstances. In Hebrews 10:23 we are told to “hold fast the confession of our hope without wavering, for He who promised is faithful“. So if you have put God on a shelf, don’t keep Him there. Take Him down and let Him drive your ark.

“Lord Jesus, forgive me for sometimes keeping you “on the shelf” of my life. Help me to embrace You in every moment of my life.”

If you don’t know Jesus as Lord, or are unsure, click on the tab at the top of the page for more information.