There once was a king who wanted absolute power over his people. Being threatened by the people’s devotion to God, He called his advisors together in hopes of “hiding” God. Suggestions were made to hide God at the top of the mountain, or at the bottom of the ocean. The wisest advisor offered, “O, mighty king, hide the people’s God somewhere in their everyday lives. There they will never find God!”

That advisor truly understood how we are! God is hidden, but not in some remote, faraway spot. God is right here in our everyday lives. Yet we rarely see him and rarely recognize his presence.

All too often we fear that we are walking alone and dread that our journey may have no destination, maybe just a walk to nowhere. Too often we are deaf and blind to God.

And what is God saying? “I am with you always, walking at your side. And your name is written on the palm of my hand. If you listen carefully, you’ll hear me whispering to you. If you watch closely, you’ll see that I am here. So watch and listen!”

It takes time to learn how to listen attentively and respectfully to everyday life. It takes time to learn how to hear what’s really going on around us.

It does take time, but if we persist in paying attention to everyday life, very slowly we’ll begin to feel the nearness of God when we look at a rose, feel the cool of an evening breeze, hold a newborn child, or gaze at the sight of a mountain.

The road we walk is a long one, often rough and dangerous. But God does not want us to walk alone. He wants us to find strength and comfort and friendship along the way. It’s ours for the taking.

We need to open our eyes and hearts to the divine presence in our lives and just say, “YES” to God’s daily invitations.

We are invited to share the friendship of divine company. What a tragedy it would be to settle for anything less. What a tragedy to forever walk alone!