Thought for Today

Genesis 3:8 They heard the sound of the LORD God walking in the garden at the time of the evening breeze, and the man and his wife hid themselves from the presence of the LORD God among the trees of the garden.  

Psalm 46:1 God is our refuge and strength, a very present help in trouble. 2 Therefore we will not fear, though the earth should change, though the mountains shake in the heart of the sea;  

Luke 1:19 The angel replied, "I am Gabriel. I stand in the presence of God, and I have been sent to speak to you and to bring you this good news.

Philippians 4:5 Let your gentleness be known to everyone. The Lord is near.

Christians believe that our Creator God is omniscient, omnipotent and omnipresent. Omnipresent is not a common word except when we talk about God. My computer suggests as synonyms: universal, ever-present, pervasive or ubiquitous. I suspect many of us have encountered universal or ubiquitous more often in common discourse. My Westminster Dictionary of Theological Terms offers as a definition for the omnipresence of God, “God as an infinite spirit being everywhere present in the cosmos.”  (pg. 117) Do you find the idea of God’s omnipresence comforting or frightening?

Adam and Eve in the aftermath of their disobedience found the presence of God frightening enough to send them into an attempt at hiding from God. Conversely, the psalmist viewed God as a refuge and source of help and strength. Zechariah temporarily lost his speech from doubting the angel Gabriel. Paul’s words seem to convey the idea that he found God’s presence in the person of Jesus Christ to be a source of comfort and encouragement. Do you find the idea of God’s omnipresence comforting or frightening?

I thought about this today as I read today’s devotional in These Days. The author of that devotional found great comfort in God’s presence as she went through a difficult time in her life. In Paul’s letter to Phillipi, Paul wrote, “Philippians 4:4 Rejoice in the Lord always; again I will say, Rejoice.” Many of us, during difficult times, find it almost impossible to rejoice. There is little for which to rejoice in the loss of a loved one, in the loss of a job, in the devastation wrought by floods, hurricanes, tornados or other weather phenomena. As the Florida panhandle awakens this morning to the results of hurricane Isaias few are probably rejoicing.

As I think on all of this, I am reminded of my late brother’s favorite song, Bridge Over Troubled Waters and the words “Oh, when times get rough And friends just can’t be found Like a bridge over troubled water I will lay me down.” I believe that song captures the essence of the meaning of God’s omnipresence in our lives. When times get rough, when friends just can’t be found, when we’re weary, when pain is all around God is right there with us. God is our bridge over troubled waters.

The converse is also true. When things are going well, when we are among our family of faith, when we are well rested and free of pain, God is still right there with us. God shares our victories as well as our defeats. Our God is omnipresent in our lives.

Good times or bad, rain or shine, hurricanes or clear skies, we can join with Paul and “Rejoice in the Lord always; again I will say, Rejoice.” God is near us at all times. We know the extent of God’s loving kindness and attention in the person of Jesus, the Christ. We won that gold star for learning and remembering John 3:16. In our personal, individual epiphanies, we have encountered Jesus. Hopefully, good times or bad, we remember Jesus’ own promise, “Matthew 28:20 . . . And remember, I am with you always, to the end of the age." And, we also remember Jesus’ words about the Holy Spirit, “John 14:16 And I will ask the Father, and he will give you another Advocate, to be with you forever. 17 This is the Spirit of truth, whom the world cannot receive, because it neither sees him nor knows him. You know him, because he abides with you, and he will be in you.”

Do you find the idea of God’s omnipresence comforting or frightening? Think about God’s love, think about God’s gift of Jesus, the Christ. While I know there are things in my life I would rather not have God know, I also know that I am saved through my own faith in Jesus. I know that my salvation is a gift from God, from the God who is always near.

Look around you for evidence of God’s presence, rejoice in God’s presence, trust God,

Pastor Ray