God Himself will be with us

And I heard a loud voice from heaven saying, "Behold, the tabernacle of God is with men, and He will dwell with them, and they shall be His people. God Himself will be with them and be their God. – Revelation 21v3

We often use the phrase ‘I’ll be with you in spirit’ when we cannot physically be with someone for a big event. What we mean is that we will be thinking about them and hopefully praying for them. That can really be special at times. We have all sensed times when we knew people were praying for us and it ‘felt like’ they were tight with us.

Being the ‘in spirit’ is not quite the same is it? Even when it comes to God we find something of the same feelings. It is true of course that He is well and truly literally with us in a different way than just ‘in spirit.’ But lets be honest, it does know always ‘feel’ like He is here does it? Or maybe it is just me, but sometimes He can feel very far away. When then happens, of course it is my fault because He is right there.

One the other hand, isn’t it nice when that friend is not just there in spirit, but in the flesh? When there are here in the flesh I can see them, sense them, and touch them. It is far more real than when they are only with me in spirit.

I know the analogy is not perfect, but what is it going to be like when God is with us ‘in the flesh,’ right there in our presence? When that day, to our minds finally, gets here there will no more ‘through a glass darkly,’ but then face to face.

These words from a favourite old hymn really sum it up:

Only faintly now I see Him,

With the darkened veil between,

But a blessed day is coming,

When His glory shall be seen.

Face to face I shall behold Him,

Far beyond the starry sky;

Face to face in all His glory,

I shall see Him by and by!