God is there

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, - Psalm 139v7-9

A couple of days ago I mentioned Job and his search for God in the midst of his trouble. Job wrote ‘"Look, I go forward, but He is not there, And backward, but I cannot perceive Him; When He works on the left hand, I cannot behold Him; When He turns to the right hand, I cannot see Him.’ To his credit Job goes on to acknowledge his faith in God and wrote ‘But He knows the way that I take; When He has tested me, I shall come forth as gold.’

David came to the same conclusion by a different route. David realised and sensed that no matter where he went God was there. He could never get away from God. Even if he went to heaven or hell God was there. If he flew into the morning God would be there. If he went to live in the middle of the ocean God was there. He simply could not get away from God even if he wanted to.

That is of such comfort to us. Many people are going to face hardships today or in the days ahead. Christians are in prison around the world. Many are in hospital. Many people are going to face things today that they wish they didn’t have to face. People are going to hear news today that is going to shake their lives to the very foundation.  In today’s world economy many are jobless and the prospects for work are dim.

But we can rest in the same knowledge that Job and David did. Job couldn’t sense God but he said ‘but He knows the way that I take.’ David said ‘this knowledge is too wonderful for me.’

No matter what news you hear today, no matter what meeting you are facing, no matter what email or text or phone call comes your way you can rest assured that He is already there preparing the way for you.

God is there.