Words on Wednesday – May 3, 2023 – Lutheran Education Association

Remote Learning

God, don’t be far off.
My God, hurry to help me (Ps. 71:12).

Remote learning? It’s not as new as everybody thinks. For example, I overheard my fourth grade teacher describe me as being remote. Had remotes controlled televisions in those days, I would have considered the remark a compliment, but the whole thing probably had something to do with the foggy look in my eyes whenever she said, “Open your math books….” I should also have had some apprehensions years later when my Latin teacher said, “He doesn’t have even a remote chance of making it into Latin II.” At least I knew that II was higher than I. But he was right, providing one of my few moments of glee in high school. Anyway….

So God taught from a distance. And he taught remotely with His beloved children ever since, putting some distance between them and Him as a result of their being overly adventurous and disobedient, even after growing under His face-to-face (so to speak) tutelage. Moved outside their garden classroom for their own protection, they now required a new way to learn.

God did not abandon them. Their behavior didn’t show sustained improvement. And the trend continued for the next several thousand years, right up to this very day. Your own learning experiences confirm that. The children you’ll face this week will provide ample evidence—in case your school-day memories falter. And so we might pray today’s text with our students—“God, don’t be far off. My God, hurry to help me.” Then confidently accept God’s “remote technology,” powered by Him, enabled by Jesus, and routed by the Holy Spirit. Scripture explains it this way:

God began by making one man. From him came all the different people who live everywhere in the world. He decided exactly when and where they must live. God wanted them to look for him and perhaps search all around for him and find him. But he is not far from any of us (Acts 17:26–27).

Don’t you just love that last sentence?

Music matters: An old song, especially good for walking.

Mindful matters: What’s in God’s lesson plans for you right now?

Written by Edward Grube, LL.D.
Director of Communications
Copyright ©2021 Lutheran Education Association

Quoted Scripture ICB®