DAY – 31
ELOHEI MIKKAROV
A GOD NEARBY.
“Am I only a God nearby,” declares the LORD, “and not a God far away? Jer (23:23)
Elohei Mikkarov is a reminder that God is close by. Our God is omnipotent. His presence pervades the entire universe. He can be in n different places at the same time. The Lord's eyes are all around the earth, watching both the righteous and the evil. Nobody can hide from him or deceive him. He is in heaven, on the throne, ruling, and in the place of someone who calls on him at the same time. His omnipresence is incomprehensible. He follows you wherever you go, and he is always by your side, no matter where you are. In short, with the God Elohei Mikkarov by your side, you are never alone.
There was a time in Israel when the mighty and powerful prophet of God Elijah confronted King Ahab for rejecting God and his law. He allowed the foreign god Baal and his worshippers into the Israelites' holy land and encouraged God's people to worship Baal under the guidance of his wife, Queen Jezebel. This infuriated Elijah, the true worshipper of Yahweh God, who challenged the Baal priests to demonstrate their god's power by bringing down fire from heaven. Elijah's challenge was accepted by the 450 prophets of Baal, who gathered on Mount Carmel. When Elijah saw them, he told the priests to bring two bulls and to cut the first one up and place it on the wood without setting fire to it. He dismembered the next bull and placed it in a different wood without fire. "The god who responds by setting fire to his wood is the true God," he declared.
The children of Israel were all gathered, watching with bated breath to see what would happen next. Because they were so numerous, Elijah suggested that they first pray to their god. So, they prayed to Baal for an answer from morning to noon. They also danced around the altar, but no sound or response came from them. As such Elijah approached them, mocking the fact that Baal would have been thinking, busy, traveling, or even sleeping to pray to him louder and get a response. As they worshipped, the prophets prayed louder, cutting themselves with swords and spears until their blood flowed. But there was no response from Baal, and no voice could be heard. Now Elijah boldly summoned them to stand guard. He took 12 stones, one for each of Israel's tribes. He also requested that water be poured on the meat and wood, and he prayed to God of Israel to demonstrate his power.
When he prayed, the Lord's fire descended and consumed the sacrifice, the wood, the stones, and the ground near the altar. It dried up everything in its path. When everyone saw this, they all fell to the ground and cried out, "The LORD is God!" "The LORD alone is God!"
As previously stated, God is present everywhere and knows everything. He hears every prayer that is offered to him, no matter where it is. Many people go on pilgrimages to seek God, traveling long distances to learn more about him. But God says, "We are the temple of God, and God loves to dwell within us." As a result, he not only hears our prayers but also understands our anxious thoughts, fears, pain, and sorrow. He understands emotions that are beyond the scope of words.
Let’s discuss two instants from Jesus’ life.
As Jesus approached the town of Capernaum, a centurion approached him, requesting help. He was aware of the Lord Jesus and his ability to heal people of various illnesses, and he begged Jesus to heal his servant, who was paralyzed and suffering greatly at home. Jesus was taken aback by the request because he was the one who sought Jesus' help and support for his servant. So, Jesus told him right away that he would go to the centurion's house and heal the servant. "Lord, I do not deserve to have you come under my roof," the centurion replied. But all I have to do is say the word, and my servant will be healed. The man's faith astounded Jesus even more, and he said, "Go, and your servant will be healed." The man left Jesus, and when he returned home, his servant ran toward him, completely healed. And when the centurion inquired about the time he was healed, it was precisely the moment when Jesus said, "Your servant is healed."
When Jesus was traveling through the Gentile territory, a woman approached him and begged him to heal her little daughter, who was troubled in her mind. The woman in this gospel story was from a region north of Galilee, near Tyre and Sidon. These cities had a reputation for being ungodly. Gentiles were living there. Gentiles were often referred to as "dogs" by Jews. Mark calls her a 'Greek,' which is short for 'pagan.' While he was there, a woman approached him, pleading with him to heal her demon-possessed daughter. Jesus completely ignored her. When she continued to cry after him, his disciples suggested that he do something about it because she was causing a commotion and they knew he needed some peace. He replied that he was only sent to find the house of Israel's lost sheep. She belonged to the Gentile race. He was unwilling to assist. But the mother persisted in her request for Jesus' support. So Jesus responded to her by saying, "It is not meet to take the children's food and give it to the dogs," and that he must first help his people. But the mother quickly corrected herself, saying, "True, Lord, but even the dogs under the table eat the children's crumbs."
Impressed and pleased with her faith and perseverance, Jesus granted her wish: 'Be it done for you as you wish.' And the child was cured of her terrible ailment.
In both cases, Jesus did not meet the sick person, and he may not have known the person's color, race, height, and weight. He simply knew they were in danger and healed them with his words even though they were kilometers away from him.
God, on the other hand, can hear you from anywhere. "God, you're there even if I put my bed in hell," David says. Esther's prayer was heard in a foreign land, while Daniel's prayer saved him from the lion because God heard his prayers inside the den. He is the God who lives nearby. And if you seek him wholeheartedly, he will respond and assist you. May Elohei Mikkarov, the Lord of the Universe, be with you and bless you. Amen!
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