The Presence of God…

Morning!

Raises his cup of coffee

Proverbs 4:20-27

“My son, give attention to My Words; incline your ear to My Sayings.  Do not let them depart from your eyes; keep them in the midst of your heart; for they are life to those who find them, and health to all their flesh.  Keep your heart with all diligence, for out of it spring the issues of life.  Put away from you a deceitful mouth, and put perverse lips far from you.  Let your eyes look straight ahead, and your eyelids look right before you.  Ponder the path of your feet, and let all your ways be established.  Do not turn to the right or the left; remove your foot from evil.”

In the beginning, God created the heavens and the earth.  Before that—there was only God.  This suggests that the first moment of time began when God created something that was not Himself.

If we believe that God is omnipotent, omniscient, and eternal, that He is the Creator who always has been and always will be, and He is the unmoved mover, the One from whom all things have their start, then there was a moment when God created that which was not Him.

Yet, even in creation, God is ever-present.

Psalm 139:1-12

“O LORD, You have searched me and known me.  You know my sitting down and my rising up; You understand my thought afar off.  You comprehend my path and my lying down. And are acquainted with all my ways.  For there is not a word on my tongue, but behold, O LORD, You know it altogether.  You have hedged me behind and before, and laid Your hand upon me.  Such knowledge is too wonderful for me; it is high, I cannot attain it.  Where can I go from Your Spirit? Or where can I flee from Your presence?  If I ascend into heaven, You are there; if I make my bed in hell, behold, You are there.  If I take the wings of the morning, and dwell in the uttermost parts of the sea, even there Your hand shall lead me, and Your right hand shall hold me.  If I say, ‘Surely the darkness shall not hide from You,’ but the night shines as the day; the darkness and the light are both alike to You.”

God’s presence is everywhere—from the highest heaven to the deepest depths.  If the Holy Spirit has been given to us, making His home with us, then seeking the Presence of God means seeking what is already here.

The question is:

Will God reveal Himself to us, and how?

Moses and the Israelites were blessed with God’s presence during their exodus.  Yet, when God revealed His glory to Moses, it was done in a powerful and personal way—when Moses was alone.

Exodus 33:13-23

“Now therefore, I pray, if I have found grace in Your sight, show me now Your way, that I may know You and that I may find grace in Your sight.  And consider that this nation is Your people.”  And He said, “My Presence will go with you, and I will give you rest.”  Then he said to Him, “If Your Presence does not go with us, do not bring us up from here.  For how then will it be known that Your people and I have found grace in Your sight, except You go with us?  So we shall be separate, Your people and I, from all the people who are upon the face of the earth.”  So the LORD said to Moses, “I will also do this thing that you have spoken; for you have found grace in My sight, and I know you by name.”  And he said, “Please, show me Your glory.”  Then He said, “I will make all My goodness pass before you, and I will proclaim the name of the LORD before you.  I will be gracious to whom I will be gracious, and I will have compassion on whom I will have compassion.”  But He said, “You cannot see My face; for no man shall see Me, and live.”  And the LORD said, “Here is a place by Me, and you shall stand on the rock.  So it shall be, while My glory passes by, that I will put you in the cleft of the rock, and will cover you with My hand while I pass by.  Then I will take away My hand, and you shall see My back; but My face shall not be seen.”

So, are we running toward the Presence of God, or are we running away?

Are we following Moses’ example—or Jonah’s?

If we seek wisdom, whom are we supposed to ask?