Ever-Present Troubles, Ever-Present God

“Omnipresence” is what theologians call the presence of God. He is everywhere at the same time, all the time. He has a universal, unbounded presence. There is never a place where He cannot be. There is no place and no person beyond His reach.

“God is ever at your side.”

I love the thought of God being everywhere. But what I love more is the thought that God is ever here. He is ever at my side. As God promised Joshua in Deut. 31:6, so does He promise us now that He goes before us. He will never leave us nor forsake us. Sin, stress, and sorrows may cause us to doubt or forget that promise. But, God will remind and assure us of His unfailing presence especially when we most need it.

“God is with you when you must face something alone.”

God is with me at all times and in all situations. Psalm 23 assures us that even when we face death, He will be there with us. We need not fear the experience. For the child of God, death is never an end. It is but a transition into an eternity with our Father in heaven.

“God is with you permanently.”

From King Saul’s life, we learn that the Spirit of God left when there was sin and disobedience. From Samson’s life, we learn that the Spirit of God left when there was self-will. God’s Spirit came and He went whenever there was godlessness. After the resurrection of Christ, this changed. Before he ascended back into heaven, Jesus left His disciples an assuring promise of His unfailing presence in the person of the Holy Spirit. In John 14:16, Jesus said, “And I will ask the Father, and he will give you another Helper, to be with you forever.” He promised power from on High and He promised that this Divine Enabler would be with us forever. Sadly, we grieve the Holy Spirit in our lives when we live in rebellion. But thankfully He stays with us, rebuking us of our sin and leading us back into the path of righteousness.

“God is forever close and accessible.”

In the Old Covenant, only the high priest had exclusive access to a special section within the tabernacle, the Holy of Holies, where God’s presence dwelt. At the death of Christ on the cross, the veil that secluded the Holy of Holies tore apart. With that was a divine message that Christ has removed the barrier of separation. With that was a declaration that Christ has bridged us to the Father. From that time, man can be redeemed and could go into the very presence of God.

This is probably one of the greatest privileges ever afforded to the child of God. No longer do we have to depend on another person to make requests and communications with God on our behalf. We can directly enjoy communion with God, speak our hearts out to Him, and thru the Spirit, hear His heart reach out to us.

Our God is everywhere and our God is ever here. May this encouraging thought empower us to live confident lives today.