David Edwards was in bad shape. He was unemployed and uninsured. His back needed surgery and his ex-wife had just remarried. Then Edwards stopped at a convenience store in Ashland, Kentucky. He shelled out eight bucks on tickets for the $295 million Powerball Lottery. In less than 24 hours he was a multi-millionaire. Edwards is a modern day rags-to-riches story, but what caught my attention was the way “God” appeared in his conversation once his millions arrived. “I asked the Lord to help me out and give me a hand,” Edwards said. “I didn’t think it was going to be a $74 million hand …. Me and the Lord are on pretty good terms today.” If it takes $74 million to get on good terms with the Lord then I am in big trouble. Fortunately it does not! God is no closer when I’m rolling in the dough than when I’m flat on my back. The Psalmist reminds us:
The LORD is near to all who call on him, to all who call on him in truth. (Psalm 145:18 ESV)
It is easy to associate good times with God’s presence and bad times with his absence. That is a mistake of monumental proportions! The Psalmist, Job, Daniel, and Paul all remind me that circumstances are not a barometer of God’s favor. God is close to all “who call on him,” not to all “who cash in.” If you are one of the millions who didn’t win the lottery—take heart—God is still close to you. Call on him today!
MY PRAYER: Father, I praise you because in the good or bad, the ups or downs, the easy or the hard you are always close to those who call on you in truth.