Psalm 139:7-8 (NIV) Where can I go from your Spirit? Where can I flee from your presence? If I go up to the heavens, you are there; if I make my bed in the depths, you are there.

It is clear that the presence of God is beyond our understanding. The Word of God tells us that heaven is His throne and the earth is His footstool (Isaiah 66:1). There is really nowhere that you can go to escape or to hide from God. He sees everything, knows everything, and is anywhere and everywhere that He wants to be. In light of this, perhaps we need to rethink what we believe about experiencing God's presence. Most of us have the mentality that we can draw God's presence to us if we make heartfelt attempts to connect with Him through prayer and/or through worshipping and praising Him. After all, the Word of God does say, "draw near to God and He will draw near to you" (James 4:8). That is absolutely true. But what does it mean to draw near to Him if there is no place to flee from His presence as it says in the passage of scripture above?

I believe that we draw near to God by making ourselves aware of His presence. The majority of people in this world go throughout their day without even one thought about God. The question is, how much of our day do we spend being aware of the presence of God? Jesus said that He is with us always (Matthew 28:20). If Jesus said it, then that's what is true. The question is, are we with Him? If Jesus is with us always, then it is a matter of us acknowledging that He is and then living our lives with that knowledge before us. That means unbroken fellowship, which includes praying without ceasing and meditating on His Word throughout the day. Praying, worship and reading scripture are vehicles that God has given us to help us become aware of His presence. It's not so much that we draw God's presence to us but that we are drawn to His presence through seeking Him in the various ways that He has given us to connect with His Spirit. 

This is an awesome truth to become aware of because it means that we don't ever have to separate ourselves from our Lord Jesus. Jesus came to pay the penalty of our sins so that we can be forgiven and be set free from the bondage that we were under. He did it to restore our relationship with the Father and to cleanse us so that He, through the Holy Spirit, could now dwell in us. If you are a born-again believer, then the Bible says that Christ lives in you (2 Corinthians 13:5). How could His presence be any closer than that? Know that God's presence is available to you because you are a child of God. Take advantage of the truth that the Lord meant to be with you always and that He made a way for that to happen through the Cross of Calvary. Enjoy His presence throughout each day as you become mindful of Him more and more in your life. Wherever you find yourself, His presence is there and available to you.

Pastor Joey Vazquez