Where do you feel closest to God?

In my church Bible Study group earlier this week, one of the questions asked was "where do you feel closest to God?" There were a couple of in nature answers; they felt closest when they were in God's creation.

Initially this question makes me think, can't we feel connected to God anywhere? Shouldn't we be able to be close to him regardless of where we are. And fundamentally I think that is true in a more perfect world. God is certainly everywhere and always with us, but our human weakness prevents us from feeling close 24-7 I think. We are the ones who stray.

So after pushing that initial thought out of my mind I had to think about when I feel most connected to God. In the Bible Study they are exploring the Holy Land and where Jesus lived his life here on Earth and how it brought this sense of closeness to God for those individuals.

As I reflected on this, I thought there are certainly things that make me feel his presence more. Often because I choose to slow down and be and listen and really accept his love. My example, my occasion, my place, was communion. So maybe it isn't necessarily a place, but an action, because it isn't always in the same place. Yet for me, I do feel close to him as I reflect on the meaning of communion and the actions taken my Jesus and by me in the act of taking communion.

On more than one occasion during communion I've sat and thought and reflected and held back tears over the gift Jesus gives us. It is a beautiful thing, and something I try to consciously focus on during communion. That isn't always easy given our four kids in church with us, but I try, and I'm also SO grateful when I do.