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I’ve never met anyone who gets more excited about a sandwich than my sister-in-law.  She adores the thought of fresh bread squeezing together multiple layers of yummy veggies, cheese, and meat.  Maybe for you, your favourite sandwich is soft white bread spread with creamy peanut butter and raspberry jam.  Mine is turkey and cranberry on sourdough.  Mmmm.  I love sandwiches.

When I was a kid, I enjoyed being sandwiched between my older brothers.  They would stand or sit on either side of me and squish me until I almost couldn’t breathe.  To some it may have looked painful, but to me it always felt like being held, safe, loved, and even cherished.  A ‘brother-sandwich’ was a special treat.

I was recently reminded of this imagery during our Sunday worship service.  I wonder what it is like to enjoy a ‘God-sandwich?’  Surely it would include the experience of feeling warmly squeezed by the presence of God.  To know God is with us so clearly that we can almost feel our breath being taken away.  To know that His love for us surrounds us on all sides, and that He is holding us, protecting us, and keeping us dear.  The psalmist says of God that “You hem me in behind and before” (Psalm 139:5).  God is in front of me and God is behind me, actively drawing me in.  It is a description of a ‘God-sandwich’ experience. 

The God revealed in scripture is not a distant God.  Rather, God is characterized by His constant efforts to be in a close relationship with us.  As your trust in Him increases, you are able to enjoy His promise all the more – “And surely I am with you always” (Matthew 28: 20).  I encourage you to find a still and quiet time today to enjoy a ‘God-sandwich.’  You are indeed being loved by Him, on all sides.