The popular misconception is that God has such a small playing field that almost everything we might want to do is out of bounds. That misconception leads to the idea that God is so constrictive that it would be impossible to please Him in any way.

This is a misconception created by religion. Religion is man-made and is a product of the complied thoughts of well-meaning people who, in an attempt to keep from ever offending God, built a set of rules that were restrictive beyond reason.

Here are a couple thoughts to consider.

First, God created man and woman and presented them to each other unclothed—naked. In that naked state, they were not ashamed nor were they intimidated by each other (Genesis 2:25).

Second, God placed these created beings in a place He had prepared for them called the Garden of Eden, and told them they were free to eat anything in the garden they desired except one tree. That tree was the tree of the knowledge of good and evil (Genesis2:17). There has been much discussion as to why God placed that tree in the garden. We will not get into that now, but it is clear that God desired His created beings to choose Him over any alternative. The main point is, God gave great freedom in the garden for them to do anything they wanted to do, except one thing. That is more yes than no.

God has never been reluctant to make Himself known. Matter of fact, part of God’s name means, “The Self-Existent One Who Reveals Himself.” God would make Himself known in some way, encourage people to follow, but when they did not, God was quick to announce a way back to Him. It is reasonable that if anybody lives a life of rejecting God, eventually that rejecting will lead to God allowing them to go their way. There are many “whosoever wills” in the Bible that reveal God’s extended hand to anybody willing to accept.

The ultimate “reaching out” by God is Jesus Christ. Jesus is God’s Son sent into the world as a man. Jesus was fully God and fully man. That subject, too, will require more discussion later. Jesus as a man lived among people and fully revealed God—His person, His character, His love, and everything about Him. Jesus said, in John 14:9b, “Anyone who has seen Me has seen the Father.”

Before you conclude that God is distant, uncaring, or a big “NO” written across the sky, respond in your heart by asking God to reveal Himself to you. He will say, “YES.”