“Thou [art] near, O LORD; and all thy commandments [are] truth.” (Ps 119:151 AV)
It is easy to forget that God is near. For whatever reason, we forget that God is omnipresent and active. Whether we forget for nefarious reasons or simple human limitation, we forget. God has made promises to His children. “[Let your] conversation [be] without covetousness; [and be] content with such things as ye have: for he hath said, I will never leave thee, nor forsake thee.” (Heb 13:5 AV) “For the LORD loveth judgment, and forsaketh not his saints; they are preserved for ever: but the seed of the wicked shall be cut off.” (Ps 37:28 AV) “Fear thou not; for I [am] with thee: be not dismayed; for I [am] thy God: I will strengthen thee; yea, I will help thee; yea, I will uphold thee with the right hand of my righteousness.” (Isa 41:10 AV) There is ample encouragement in the word of God that we should never doubt God’s presence. But we do.
Satan has a way of convincing us that God is just like any other relationship. Temporary. He would love to convince us that just as in temporal life, relationships change and end. He would love for us to believe that as the LORD was with the children of Israel in the Old Testament, so too is He to the saint in the New Testament. He would like us to give up hope on the presence of God because our senses are dulled by trial, trouble, tiresome activity, or transgression. Our adversary wants us to feel as far from God as we think we can get. When adversity comes, the Devil would want us to assume God sent it to drive us away. When sin occurs, he wants us to believe it to be too egregious that God refuses to keep company with the likes of us any longer. Our enemy wants us as discouraged and despondent as we can get. Convincing us that God refuses to be near goes a long way to that goal.
Faith requires that we accept things which we cannot understand nor sense as real. This does not mean we abandon all reason or observation. If we do not feel God is real, perhaps there is a reason. Perhaps there is sin at the door. Maybe we have not drawn to Him as we should. But if all the boxes are checked, then whether we can sense His presence or not, He is near. We must accept that as true. Remember when you dropped your newborn off at the nursery for the very first time? You retired to a place unseen by your toddler, but you were only a few steps away. He screamed for you. He pitched a fit. Why? Was it because you abandoned him? Or was it his perception that failed him? That is what we must understand regarding the presence of God. It is not a reality problem. It is a perception problem. If the word of God promises the everlasting presence of God, then we need to learn to trust it regardless of our perceptions! He is near. You couldn’t chase Him away. He loves you more than you can ever comprehend. He isn’t going anywhere.
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