I had an unusual week which just left me without time to write a blog post on a couple of days, although I did draft the idea. This one was a reminder in a book I had been reading called ‘God is closer than you think’ by John Ortberg, one of my favourite theological writers. In the first chapter he directs the reader to a painting.
It’s the painting in the Sistine Chapel called ‘The Creation of Adam’. It depicts God and Adam, although Adam has already been created. God is on a shell shape surrounded by heavenly beings and they appear to be flying or hovering. Adam is on the ground. But there is a huge difference in body language. God, the all powerful one who doesn’t need anyone else but desires relationship is shown leaning forward, reaching to Adam. Adam, the fallible human who does need God is shown lazily lounging and almost half heartedly reaching out to God whilst also leaning away.
There is a space between the fingers, God’s index finger reaching out to touch Adam, Adam’s fingers drooping at the end of an arm that is resting on his knee. Adam seems to be waiting for God to do all the work. And God can cover that distance. But…
How often as we live our lives is that us? God wants relationship. He desires it so much Jesus shared in our mess and suffering and died so that we could have that relationship. But God wants relationship, not mindless robots that do as their told. We have to choose relationship too. How often are we like Adam, leaning backwards and expecting God to go all the way? How often do we fail to make the effort to reach out to God, to put some effort into building that relationship? God has come this close to us, all we need to do is straighten the metaphorical finger – set aside time to pray, say sorry for the things we have done wrong, show kindness to a neighbour, whatever it might be in our context.
We just have to close the gap, God has already come near. Feeling alone? God is there. Feeling burdened? God is there. Feeling busy? God is there. Feeling hopeless, depressed, stuck, elated, content, surprised…? God. Is. Right. There.
All you have to do is reach out a finger.
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