Easter 6 – The God Who Is Not Far Away

The God Who Is Not Far Away

A short reflection on John 14:15–21; Acts 17:22–31

On the night before his death, Jesus speaks tenderly in Gospel of John. “I will not leave you orphaned,” he promises. Love, he says, is not proven by emotion alone but by lived commitment: love of God and neighbour woven into daily life. And with that love comes a gift – the Spirit – not as a prize for the holy few, but as God’s ongoing presence within us.

Then, in Acts of the Apostles, we find Paul standing on the Areopagus in Athens. He tells the crowd that God is not confined to temples or shrines. “In him we live and move and have our being.” God is not distant. Not hidden away. God is the very ground beneath our existence.

Together, these readings speak of presence. Jesus promises the Spirit within. Paul declares God already surrounding and sustaining us. This is not abandonment but transformation. The relationship changes shape – but it does not end.

For us in Aotearoa, amid questions of belonging and justice, this matters deeply. If God is this near, then love is not optional. Hospitality is not optional. Turning toward justice is not optional. Repentance is not about shame; it is about reorientation – choosing again the way of aroha.

The good news is simple and profound: we are not alone. The Spirit is not scarce. God is not far away.

Love makes God visible. When we practise patient, courageous love, others encounter the Spirit through us.

Turn toward life. Repentance means realigning our habits with God’s justice, compassion, and welcome.

Ngā mihi
Philip

p.s. Worship leaders: You can buy a complete Order of Service and Sermon based on these readings here: https://philipgarsidebooks.com/products/worship-at-hand-easter-6-10-may-2026