Do you read the Bible? Has it become familiar and commonplace to you?  It claims to be living and powerful and active. So every time you read it, is it as for the first time? This is not a reasonable expectation for most books, but if my Word is living it should be fresh every time you read it. Do you expect this? Whether the Bible is something you study like any other book or whether it speaks with a living voice every time you read it depends on what you anticipate when you open it. If you do so expecting to hear my voice in the expression of a living relationship you will.

You know as a matter of principle and doctrine that I am with you always. You have my word on it. Are you more aware of me when you are having a bad day? Is it in those difficult times that your faith is tried and you need to call out to me and depend on me? In contrast is it easy to forget that I am with you when everything goes smoothly with no problems? I came to give you life and joy. I am with you during the difficult times but I don’t want you to associate me only with your problems. Make it a point to remember me with gratitude when you are having a good day. Share it with me and it will be even better. 

Do you expect to require training and practice to acquire a new skill and become proficient at it? Many believers will expect this for every area of their live except their faith. But faith can grow and gain strength by practice and experience like anything else you do. Ask those whom you consider to be strong in the faith if they started out that way. Soldiers train in a safe place before going into battle, and athletes train in a gym before competition. You can apply the same principle for the practice of your faith, looking for safe places to develop it so that it will be strong when you really need it.

If you have gone on a long journey and come home then you know the meaning of a round trip. According to the laws of geometry the distance home is the same as the distance out, although it may seem shorter or longer. Yet there is a case in which this is not true. For no matter how far you wander away from me you are only one step away from returning to me. For though you depart from me I do not depart from you. I promised to be with you always and I will keep covenant even if you don’t. At any time if you turn your attention to me you will find I was with you all along.