Closer Than You Think: A 5-Day Devotional by Jonathan TraylorSample

Closer Than You Think | Day 1 You Got Me

I realize that the phrase “You Got Me” isn’t a common one. Maybe some would say “You’ve got me” while others would say “You have me”. No matter your choice, they all have the same meaning; “You’re taking care of me”.

As a kid, I remember trust falls on the playground. Are you familiar with the trust fall activity? One person intentionally falls backward, trusting that a person or group of people will catch them. I’d cross my arms over my chest and close my eyes so tightly that even my nose would wrinkle. No matter how many other kids had successfully gone before me, and no matter how confident I had felt while watching them, all of that built-up confidence seemed to melt away when it was my turn. Needing another dose of reassurance, I would open my eyes and turn around to the person waiting to catch me and say three words: “You Got Me?”

It seems like every time God blesses me with a new opportunity or life presents a new challenge, I find myself asking God the same question: “You Got Me?” Why? As many times as I’ve seen God catch His children when they fall, there’s a part of me that needs reassurance that God will catch me too. Is He close enough to get to me in time?

Remember when Peter went on a late-night stroll with Jesus on top of the water? Well, It wasn’t exactly as peaceful as that description makes it seem. You’ve probably heard how the story goes. Peter walks out onto the water but starts to sink when he becomes aware of the winds. So often I think of this story and focus on Peter and his doubts.

Admittedly, I haven’t always noticed what the Bible was trying to teach me about Jesus because I was too focused on looking for what it could teach me about myself. All throughout the Bible, God is inviting us into His heart.

When Peter starts to sink, Jesus reaches out his hand and grabs him. When I picture this story in my head, Jesus is always standing a far distance from Peter and inviting him to come. The reality is that Jesus was closer.

Today, I want to remind us that God has us and He’s always closer than we think.