… you perceive my thoughts from afar.
Summary: As we continue to look more closely at where heaven is, we discover that wherever it is, God is not far.
Can God see us?
If we are separated from heaven, and God lives in heaven, then God is far away, right?
Our brains are very logical, even when we don’t feel like we are being logical. If we say to ourselves, “Heaven is a long way away,” then our brain realizes that if God is in heaven, he must be far away, too. But is that true? Is heaven far away?
The reason we think of heaven as “up there” is because that is how the Bible often refers to heaven (Deuteronomy 30:12). I think the reason for this is that we humans tend to associate authority with altitude. The king, for example, is “above” his subjects. The boss at work is “at the top” of the ____ (fill in the blank; pyramid, pecking order, heap…). When we think of God as all-powerful, there is no one “higher” than him.
But does that mean he is far away?
The psalmist says: “If we had forgotten the name of our God or spread out our hands to a foreign god, would not God have discovered it, since he knows the secrets of the heart?” (Psalm 44:20-21)
How could God know the secrets of my heart if he is far away?
Jesus says, “the very hairs of your head are all numbered” (Luke 12:7).
How could God number the hairs of my head if he is far away?
The Bible says God “knows” our thoughts (Psalm 139:2, Luke 9:47).
How could God know my thoughts if he is far away?
Psalm 139, verse 2, also points out that God knows when we “sit and when I rise.” He knows everything about us!
How could God know all of this if he is far away?
The answer to these questions is that wherever heaven is, God is not distant in a physical sense. He is so close that he is aware of every aspect of our lives. He is so close that he can smell our breath, know our thoughts, and feel our heart beat.
God is here. Right here. He is next to you, over you, around you, and in you. God is very, very close.
Application: Take comfort in knowing that the God of all Creation is right here with you.
Food for Thought: If God knows all of these things about you, how far away could heaven be?
You made me think of Matthew 12:28-34.
Make that Mark 12:28-34.
“Thou art not far from the kingdom of God.”
— Thank you JEC! Great to hear from you. 🙂
Heaven May be far away, but God is not. Since He is transcendent. then He is not tied to His creation. He can create time but be outside of time – or transcend time. He can create space and matter and yet transcend time and matter. Either way you look at it, He desires to be close to His people and even indwells us through the indwelling of the Holy Spirit. And He most definitely the God who sees us (Genesis 16: 9 – 14).
Brother Rich,
Your description of God as transcendent is exactly why I have difficulty picturing heaven in physical terms. (See our discussion in the comments of “Matthew 5:18 — Two Kinds of Heaven”)
I don’t disagree with you on either point. I believe we will have a “new body” but as Paul points out (2 Corinthians 5:1) , one that is not built with human hands.
I also agree that God is transcendent. It simply seems to me that a transcendent God could occupy a transcendent dwelling, e.g. heaven.
The important take-away here is not trying to fit God into our mental framework, but to realize that when the Lord has us say:
“Our Father in heaven…”
That we are not talking about a Father who is far away.
That is similar to what I was trying to say. I guess I just said it poorly.
Or maybe its just two great minds working to find common ground! 🙂
Not far at all,.. He is with me in my heart so if He is in heaven and here in my heart then I would believe that heaven resides within me wherever I go, even to the grave, that’s when I will rise from the ashes of grace and along with the angels be singing praises to Him and glorifying His holy name.
So thankful for Jesus and what He did for us to be able experience anything about heaven wherever we may think it is. As for me, I know where heaven is, right here with me on earth.
Oh yeah, Thanks to all my Veteran buddies! Together We Served
John,
Thanks for the reminder! And THANK YOU for your service!
11-11-2022, If God knows all of these things about you, how far away could heaven be?
Philippians 3:20, But our citizenship is in heaven, and from it we await a Savior, the Lord Jesus Christ
Luke 17:2021, Being asked by the Pharisees when the kingdom of God would come, he answered them, “The kingdom of God is not coming with signs to be observed, nor will they say, ‘Look, here it is!’ or ‘There!’ for behold, the kingdom of God is in the midst of you.”
God is Omnipresent, present everywhere. He is the power holding all His creation together, gives and sustains all life on earth. As believers in Christ, we are now living in God, the Kingdom of Heaven, with His Holy Spirit in contact with our spirits, convicting each of sin, encouraging and empowering His people to live holy lives.
Without God, His active involvement with all creation, the earth would once again be formless and empty, with darkness over the surface of the deep.
Our God is Holy, He is the power to do His will, and we posses and display His power to the degree we live in obedience to His will.
Colossians 1:17, He is before all things, and in Him all things hold together.
Psalm 139:7-10, Where can I go from Your Spirit? Or where can I flee from Your presence? If I ascend to heaven, You are there; If I make my bed in Sheol, behold, You are there. If I take the wings of the dawn, If I dwell in the remotest part of the sea, Even there Your hand will lead me, And Your right hand will lay hold of me.
2 Chronicles 2:6, But who is able to build a house for Him, for the heavens and the highest heavens cannot contain Him? So who am I, that I should build a house for Him, except to burn incense before Him?
Ron,
Your point about God’s presence being needed to hold things together is a great reminder of how involved God is with his Creation.
If God knows all of these things about you, how far away could heaven be?
Once again I have no clue what the correct answer would be. No matter where heaven is, God is omnipresent, omnipotent, and omniscient.
Thanks you fellow vets on here. Going from serving our country to serving the Kingdom and our Lord.
Three stars, Tim!
⭐ ⭐ ⭐
If God knows all of these things about you, how far away could heaven be?
I agree that heaven could be wherever Hod wants it to be, nearer or farther. God is with us…. Turns out He has mastered being in a million places at the same time.
Pretty cool, A.
Being everywhere at once is pretty cool. 🙂