How Does God Reach for Us?
Tuesday, February 25, 2025 by Melissa McLaughlin

My fingers wrapped around the warm mug as I plopped down at the kitchen table. The smell of coffee drifted toward me. Sunlight streamed through the kitchen window. Our young black cat, Cookie, napped on her fleece bed in the corner.

I gulped down the last drops of coffee in a hurry to start my day. As I stood, the chair skidded. “Screeeech.”

Cookie’s head snapped up. With feline instincts in full force, Cookie darted off to the family room. Bright green eyes peeked around the corner at me. On high alert, her body froze in a guarded stance.

“Cookie,” my husband whispered from the family room. “Here kitty.”

Cookie treaded cautiously toward him. Step by step. Cookie drew near the gray recliner where my husband sat. Her soft paws stretched toward my husband’s leg.

“Come up, Cookie,” my husband cooed. She eyed her surroundings. When all seemed clear, Cookie leaped into his lap. Her tense muscles relaxed as she nestled against him.

My husband reached toward Cookie’s head, then paused. He knew Cookie would be frightened if he attempted to pet her with full strength.

My husband inched his hand toward Cookie’s head as if in slow motion. With the lightest touch possible, his finger brushed against her fur. His restrained stroke felt as gentle as a breath of wind.

Cookie didn’t even flinch. Her body melted. With a contented purr, she lifted her face so my husband could scratch behind her ears.

The soothing sound of my husband’s calming voice and the delicate touch of his hand transformed this scaredy cat into a ball of cuddles.

This tender scene reminded me of God’s all-powerful, yet transforming touch in our lives.

How Does God Reach for Us?

Certainly, we can’t comprehend God’s greatness.

Have you ever tried to count the stars? According to NASA, scientists estimate our galaxy, the Milky Way, has more than 100 billion stars.

Yet, that’s just the beginning. Space.com reports that between 100-200 billion galaxies exist in our vast universe.

Imagine the hand of God who created such immense glory.

Isaiah 40:26 (NIV)

Lift up your eyes and look to the heavens:
    Who created all these?
He who brings out the starry host one by one
    and calls forth each of them by name.
Because of his great power and mighty strength,
    not one of them is missing.

Incredibly, the God who positioned each star and calls forth the starry host by name knows your name. Jeremiah 1:5 (NIV) – Before I formed you in the womb I knew you.

Astonishingly, the hand that shaped the galaxies formed your frame. Psalm 139:13-14 (NIV) – For you created my inmost being; you knit me together in my mother’s womb. I praise you because I am fearfully and wonderfully made.

And this same Creator bends low to reach for us.

Imagine how God must restrain His power, lest He crush us.

Consequently, God extended Himself toward us through the hands of Jesus.

Christ’s arms stretched toward us upon a wooden cross. As blood gushed from His body, He diverted the judgment for our sins onto Himself.

With His broken body, our Savior spanned the deep chasm that separated us from our holy Father God.

The King of the universe bent low to come for us. May you see His gentle fingerprints of love strewn through all your days.

Psalm 40:1 (ESV) – I waited patiently for the Lord; he inclined to me and heard my cry.

Psalm 40:17 (ESV) – As for me, I am poor and needy, but the Lord takes thought for me.

Psalm 116:1-2 (NLT) – I love the Lord because he hears my voice and my prayer for mercy. Because he bends down to listen, I will pray as long as I have breath!

Do you have a memory of God’s greatness or His gentle touch in your life? I’d love to hear your story!

Testimony for My Readers:

Praise the Lord! I received this exciting news from Rev. Dan Alford and his family this week. The Alford family committed to reading The Whole Bible Devotional together beginning on March 1st. Their family group is 14 people! They graciously invited my husband and me to join their text group for accountability and encouragement. What a blessing!

May the Alford family inspire you and your family!

The Whole Bible Devotional Zoom Bible Study Group:

To that end, my husband and I are starting a Zoom Bible study using The Whole Bible Devotional.

The Zoom Bible study will meet on Tuesdays from 7:00-8:30pm Eastern Time. We will use the free downloadable Small Group Study Guide for our discussion questions.

Daily readings from The Whole Bible Devotional will begin on Saturday, March 1st.

The Zoom Bible Study will begin on Tuesday, March 4th.

If you would like to join our Zoom Bible study group, please email me at: [email protected]. Or consider starting your own group with church, family, and friends!

God bless you as you respond to the Savior who is reaching for you!

Spiritual Life

Join author and teacher, Melissa McLaughlin, and grow in Truthful Grace as we ignite the power of the indwelling Holy Spirit in our hearts, minds, prayers and lives. Grow in Christ, grow in the knowledge of His Word, the Bible, grow the passion in your prayers.

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