During a gathering of the BC Christian Ashram (see link below) a couple of years ago our teacher was facilitating what he called “body ministry” among us by encouraging us to voice any words of knowledge or prophecy that we might receive as we listened for God to speak to us.

I saw an image. It was of a quaint little cottage high above us, beyond the clouds. A steep and winding staircase made of floating stones led all the way up through the sky to its small wooden gate. The cottage looked warm and inviting, but the staircase looked long and perilous.

I prayed, asking God for its meaning and was given very little to go on, but as I went forward at the speaker’s invitation and began to speak into the microphone, God gave me more:

“I am not far away, or high above you. You do not have to climb a long precarious staircase to enter into My Presence. I am right here, right now. I am always all around you. Come to Me, children.”

After Jesus was baptized by John the Baptist in the Jordan River, he was led into the desert by the Holy Spirit. When he returned after being tempted for 40 days, He began His public ministry and according to Matthew:

From that time Jesus began to preach, saying, “Repent, for the kingdom of heaven is at hand.”

Matthew 4:17

These were the very same words that John the Baptist had proclaimed in the desert, warning everyone within hearing distance that the Kingdom of Heaven was at hand and it was time to turn to God.

Something that is “at hand” is close enough to reach out and touch without any effort whatsoever. And so it is with the Kingdom of Heaven. It is not remote. It is not far away, difficult to find, or impossible to attain to. It is at hand.

It is at hand because God came and dwelt among us in the Person of Jesus Christ: Emmanuel, “God Is With Us”. He is still with us even though He is no longer on the earth in human form. His Spirit – the Holy Spirit – dwells among us today, and dwells within those of us who believe and put our faith in Jesus Christ.

For all the while my breath [is] in me, And the spirit of God in my nostrils.

(Job 27:3 YLT)

God is as close as your breath; the very air you breathe. Reach out your hand to Him; take hold of His Kingdom. Hes right here, right now, and He is waiting for you to turn and “Come!” no matter who you are or what you’ve done.

For information about the BC Christian Ashram go to: http://www.christianashram.org/british-columbia-christian-ashram.html