The Faithful Presence of God
Photo image courtesy Nancy C. Williams
Tremble, O earth, at the presence of the Lord, at the presence of the God of Jacob.
– Psalm 114:7 (NKJV)
I live in an American town with a church on almost every corner. But I’ve heard of countries where not a single church building exists.
Apparently, there are no Christian churches in places like Somalia. Believers there are actively pursued, arrested, and killed for their faith in Jesus. Bibles are illegal, and Christian meetings are dangerous.*
How can God be present where such evil exists? Is it possible for God to abandon us?
The Old Testament tells of a woman who observed that God left His people because of their disobedience. When the daughter-in-law of the priest Eli heard that both he and her husband, Phineas, had been killed by the Philistines, she named her newborn son “Ichabod,” saying, “The glory has departed from Israel, for the ark of God has been captured.” (1 Samuel 4:22)
How do we handle the terrible times when His presence seems to have vanished? When our prayers appear to go nowhere, with no answers? When we crave the Holy Spirit’s comfort, and there is none?
These are great mysteries about God, with no good explanation. We know that His ways are higher than ours. He chooses to make Himself known to us loudly or in quiet whispers. And many times, He remains in silence.
We can, however, hold onto His promises and His goodness. One of the greatest blessings in our relationship with Christ is His faithfulness to stick with us, despite our sins and the trials of this life. Scripture proclaims He is omnipresent, and He never leaves us nor forsakes us.
If you seek God’s presence—yearning for His wisdom, comfort, gifts, guidance, and more—you can be assured He is listening to you, whether you tangibly see His work or not.
Trust is the key word. In my own Christian journey, there have been “desert” times when I could not see any hope in my circumstances. I could only cling to the promise that God was working in the background. In His own good timing, He answered my prayers...not always as I wished, but always for my good. Through these hard seasons, He taught me to trust in Him, have faith in His power, and be patient as He orchestrated His good will for me. It was very difficult, but He preserved me for His purposes.
When you experience moments of doubt...when God seems to be absent...when His answers are “no” and evil seems to be victorious, you can rest in the refuge of His word. Continually remind yourself of God’s character, what He has done, and what He has said He will do.
Then, look for “God moments” where He shows up—in sunshine rays breaking through clouds, an encouraging word from a friend, a flower in a sidewalk crack, the healing embrace of a hug. May He take you in His heavenly arms and fill you with joy as you see His banner of love waving over you. And may His presence overwhelm you completely!
* Source: Voice of the Martyrs.
Questions for Reflection:
1. What are some of the promises in God’s word that assure you of His presence?
2. How has He faithfully shown up in the past to answer your prayers?
3. What are any hindrances now in your heart that would make you feel far from God’s goodness?
