Our Ever Present God

“Where can I go to escape from Your Spirit?

Where can I flee from Your presence?

If I go up to heaven, You are there;

If I make my bed in Sheol, You are there.

If I live at the eastern horizon,

Or settle at the western limits,

Even there Your hand will lead me;

Your right hand will hold on to me.

If I say, ‘Surely the darkness will hide me

And the light around me will be night,’

Even the darkness is not dark to You;

The night shines like the day,

Darkness and light are alike to You.”

Psalm 139:7-12 HCSB

Maintaining our focus on Psalm 139 again this week, my heart is drawn to the next section of this Psalm that eloquently speaks of God’s omnipresence. Just as mentioned last week with the word omniscience, omnipresence is not a word that is directly mentioned in the Holy Scriptures. However, it is an attribute of God that is described in several portions of the Bible.

“Can a man hide himself in secret places where I cannot see him? – the Lord’s declaration. Do not I fill the heavens and the earth? – the Lord’s declaration.”

Jeremiah 23:24 HCSB

“…Even heaven, the highest heaven cannot contain You…”

1^st Kings 8:27 HCSB

Not only does God know what happens everywhere as we considered last week, He is present everywhere at all times. The Psalmist elucidates to us that God’s presence is unlimited by space, unstopped by speed and unaffected by darkness (verses 8 &9). The Scriptures do not teach us that God is present in everything as an impersonal force (like pantheism teaches) and also do not teach us that God only watches us from afar or at a distance.

All though out history and even till present day, man has tried to confine God’s presence to only particular locations. The Jews for instance saw God’s presence as limited to the temple in Jerusalem. Later on in history, some people began to believe that God’s presence was limited to hills or mountains (see 1^st Kings 20:23). Some people still think in this way. And even now, many Christians think that God is confined in heaven.

However, we must realize that God isn’t confined to any location. He may be ignored, but He cannot be avoided. He is the ever present God. To chip this in, God’s omnipresence is one of the attributes that demonstrate His incomparable greatness and absolute awesomeness. Some of us are so scared of the devil and we think that the devil is almost as great as our God. The devil however, cannot lay any claim to omniscience or omnipresence.

This reality of God’s enduring presence should always bring comfort and assurance of support for the believer. The truth is that for believers in Christ, God is present with us anywhere we are in a relational sense. He is not just present with us but He is committed in unending love and faithfulness toward us. So we must always remember that no matter the situation or circumstance, trial of life or tribulation, whether we are in Cape Coast, Cairo, Chicago, Coventry or Christchurch, God is ever present.

“…for He Himself has said, I will never leave you or forsake you”

Hebrews 13:5 HCSB

“…And remember, I am with you always, to the end of the age”

Matthew 28:20 HCSB

Muse with me on this Psalm again this week as we worship our ever present God.

My song for the week is "I am not alone" by Kari Jobe.