Presence (1), God's Universal

Chuckle: His wife's graveside service was just finished when there was a tremendous bolt of lightning followed by loud clap of thunder. The old man calmly said to the pastor, "Well, she has arrived!"

Quote: “Meditation is one of the most secret, most sacred doors through which we pass into the presence of the Lord.” --David Oman McKay

GOD IS EVERYWHERE

I can never escape from your Spirit! I can never get away from your presence! (Psalm 139:7 NLT).

As a child, I remember being quite pleased with my ability to hide from my parents, especially when I didn't want to be caught doing something wrong. I knew that if they couldn't see me or hear me, I could pretty much do what I wanted without fear of being held accountable. Of course, I was quite often amazed at how adept my parents were at seeing through my angelic veneer and knowing by looking at me that I had been up to no good. Perhaps it was that pesky guilty look which I couldn't control.

If we have difficulty hiding from our parents or others, how much more futile it is to think we can hide from God. The universal presence of God is wonderful news for those who know Him and love Him, and we take comfort in knowing He is always with us to help us deal with life's difficulties. But for those who live in a state of disobedience to God, His presence can be seen as a threat to their independence and freedom to do anything their unregenerate minds might conceive. Whether we like it or not, God's Word is replete with references to the omnipresence of God in the person of His Holy Spirit. When you think about it, a god that is not omnipresent isn't God at all.

The Holy Spirit of God may be found everywhere. However, it's one thing to say God is everywhere at one time; and another all together to say God is everywhere all the time. His Spirit brings God's presence to every part of creation all the time. We should remember that the Spirit is not a creation of God, but rather His divine presence within which human beings always exist. The Spirit is God's presence in His world and He is aware of everything that happens in the world.

The Bible tells us that not only does the Holy Spirit exist everywhere, and He even resides within us if we belong to God through faith in Jesus Christ. We are also told that He will convict us of our sin, woo us to Himself by His love, and remind us of all the teachings of Jesus. "When he (the Spirit) comes, he will convict the world of guilt in regard to sin and righteousness" (John 16:8 NIV). "the Holy Spirit will teach you all things and remind you of everything I have said to you" (John 14:26 NIV). I pray that you take comfort from knowing that God's presence is always with you no matter where you are or what you are doing.

Love, Jerry & Dotse