I can never escape from your Spirit! I can never get away from your presence! If I go up to heaven, you are there; if I go down to the grave, you are there. If I ride the wings of the morning, if I dwell by the farthest oceans, even there your hand will guide me, and your strength will support me.
—Psalm 139:7–10
Scripture:
One of God’s perfections is His omnipresence. He is present everywhere all the time. The psalmist captured the essence and implications of God’s omnipresence when he wrote, “I can never escape from your Spirit! I can never get away from your presence! If I go up to heaven, you are there; if I go down to the grave, you are there. If I ride the wings of the morning, if I dwell by the farthest oceans, even there your hand will guide me, and your strength will support me” (Psalm 139:7–10 NLT).
If we extend that line of reasoning, it’s not hard to see that the omnipresence of God can be comforting or frightening, depending on your perspective. If you’re not right with God and you’re trying to get away from Him, His omnipresence creates a huge obstacle. The Old Testament prophet Jonah could testify to that.
God gave Jonah an assignment that Jonah found distasteful. The Lord wanted Jonah to warn the Ninevites that His judgment was coming if they didn’t repent. Jonah balked at the mission because the Ninevites were the enemies of Israel. He didn’t want them to repent. He was rooting for God’s judgment on them. So, he went down to Joppa and boarded a ship headed for Tarshish, away from Nineveh and presumably away from God. But you know how the story ends. Jonah recognized the error of his ways and repented in the belly of a giant fish. Because God was there, too.
There’s an obvious lesson in there for anyone who’s trying to run from God. That is, you’re wasting your time and energy. It can’t be done. No matter where you go, God will be waiting for you. You can’t escape His presence.
On the other hand, if you’re walking with God, you’ll find great comfort in the knowledge that you’re never alone. When you face fiery trials, when you go through times of difficulty, when you have to weather life’s storms, God is with you every step of the way.
David memorably celebrated God’s presence in Psalm 23: “The Lord is my shepherd; I have all that I need. He lets me rest in green meadows; he leads me beside peaceful streams. He renews my strength. He guides me along right paths, bringing honor to his name. Even when I walk through the darkest valley, I will not be afraid, for you are close beside me. Your rod and your staff protect and comfort me” (verses 1–4 NLT).
You never need feel lost, scared, abandoned, or alone. If you’re walking with God, He will never leave you.
Reflection question: When do you most appreciate God’s presence?
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