Regular Joe's

For great is your love, higher than the heavens; your faithfulness reaches to the skies.  Psalm 108:7

Okay, before you read any further, use the word REACH in a sentence.  Reach has so many different uses and meanings.  For example…

• A voice mail greeting might say… “you have reached…”
• A burglar might say… “reach for the sky”
• A phone company did say… “reach out and touch someone”
• A response to an incredible conclusion might be…  “That was a reach”
• An aerobics instructor might tell you to “Reach for it”
• A motivational coach my inspire you to “reach for your dreams”
• A church might say… “lets reach out” or plan an “OutREACH”

How did you use the word?  REACH has to do with an attempt to connect, to bridge build.  It is an action word that implies someone or something is attempting to bridge a distance.

When I was in my early 20’s a virus had severely impacted me.  I could not walk, I could barely talk and every muscle in my body atrophied.  I remember my first day of physical therapy; they wheeled me into the room, put my wheelchair next to a table and said, “when you REACH the table, you can go back to your room.”  I can’t remember how long it took but it felt like days.  I lacked muscle strength and coordination to REACH the table.  Finally, exhausted and frustrated, I REACHED the table and sure enough they wheeled me back.

Soak in that verse again.  God’s love is higher than the heavens. Simply stated the expanse of His love is more than the expanse of the heavens.  Limitless, immeasurable, beyond comparison, beyond comprehension are just a few descriptions that come to mind.  We are also told that His faithfulness has an unlimited REACH.

My filter for these thoughts about God’s love and faithfulness tends to be ME.  I think, “what if I do not possess the REACH necessary to enjoy and live in this love and faithfulness.”  Sure God’s love and faithfulness REACH to the sky but mine don’t.   I also think “how nice, God is so loving and faithful to me.”  True as these thoughts are, it’s probably not the intent of these words.

These words point me to the very nature of  WHO GOD IS.  He is love, therefore the expanse of His love is as immeasurable as He is. These words make this statement; “GOD WHO YOU ARE IS FAITHFUL therefore HOW You are, is faithful.” God cannot act unfaithful or unloving because that would violate WHO HE is.  His love and faithfulness is so expansive and immeasurable because He is so expansive and immeasurable.

Here is what this means for us.  God’s love and faithfulness are never out of REACH because they are connected to His presence. The bible puts it this way; “There is no place YOU are not there.” You have never been in a place or situation that cut you off from the Love and Faithfulness of God.  This also means is that you have never been out of the REACH of God’s love and faithfulness because they are also connected to His power.  The love and faithfulness of God cannot be stopped.   For great is your love, higher than the heavens; your faithfulness reaches to the skies.  Psalm 108:7

Random Act of Kindness: Reach out to someone you know by calling them on the phone just to ask how you can pray for them.  Pray with them on the phone if appropriate.