Where Is God?

Those who have been ransomed by the LORD will return. They will enter Jerusalem singing, crowned with everlasting joy. Sorrow and mourning will disappear, and they will be filled with joy and gladness.

Isaiah 51:11

HAVE YOU EVER felt distant from God?

If so, you can probably relate to how the Israelites felt at different times over the years. Here they were, God’s people, yet they were far from the God of their forefathers. Physically, they were in exile, even removed from the land he’d given them.

But the separation wasn’t forever. The Scripture above speaks of an eventual return to the land God had given them and to the God who had given them the land. Isaiah prophesied that these men and women would enter Jerusalem singing and joyful—filled with gladness.

Perhaps most of us go through times when we feel separated from God. At times we get distracted by busy lives, earthly concerns, fears, and other hindrances.

But when we face those times of feeling distant, we can cling to the promise in today’s verse. We can come back to God. Whether we’ve been “away” for days or for years, we can return to him, entering his presence with the joy of repenting and renewing our relationship with him.

Do you feel distant from God? He’s waiting with open arms to fill you with the joy of his presence again.