Are you in his presence?
If so, how does being in his presence affect you?
Is it dangerous to have him around you?
Do you waver between hiding from God and hiding in God?
Is he both the one who saves you and the one you need saving from?
However you answer these questions, one thing is for sure:
Don’t rely solely on your own experiences for the answers.
Your experiences and interpretations can deceive you. (Sometimes when you feel most alone, wouldn’t you surely deny that God is with you?)
In “Is Anybody Up There?”, Chapter 5 in A Place for Weakness, author Michael Horton says,
There is no comfort in knowing that God is “everywhere” in the abstract unless I know that he is nearby for my good.
…Until that is settled, no general knowledge of God from his visible works will bring me to any place except despair.
While we may know from his works around us that God is here in general,
we need more. We need it to be personal. We need it to matter.
We need promises and good news. And help.
We need the Word to eliminate the ambiguity of God’s presence.
The good news comes through the cross. Only because of the presence of Jesus on it and off it do we find peace in the presence of God.
While we cannot leap across it or pull God down out of heaven by our rational, moral, or emotional strength, God has come down to us.
…At long last, God’s presence among us is forever only good news, filling our hearts with delight instead of terror.
God’s presence, however, doesn’t mean he fills us in on everything he is doing. In Chapter 6, “If We Just Knew Why God Let It Happen,” Horton says,
God has revealed everything we need to know but not everything we might like to know.
God’s presence also doesn’t mean everything he does appears miraculous. He works through ordinary graces as well as spectacular ones. Both through believers and through nonbelievers. In nature and outside of it.
What matters for us is to believe he is working and that his works are for the ultimate good of his children, for his glory.
Whether we understand it or not,
God is here.
* * *
Do you know if God is present with you?
How can you tell?
We’re talking about God’s presence and more at Elizabeth’s. Come on over.
8 comments:
How true: "He works through ordinary graces as well as spectacular ones." We need only look to the small, little things, and He is there.
Yes, Tammy. I think we’d be wise to notice him in the little things and not just wait around for the big ones. That way we are aware of his presence far more often.
How interesting that your post and Ann's today dovetail so nicely! Thank you for the reminder and (always) well-chosen quotes. This book is definitely on my to-read list, thanks to you.
God bless you and yours, friend.
I marveled when I read Ann’s post. Of course her way with words is FAR better than mine, so I marvel at her posts every time I read them. :-) I think you would enjoy this book. I definitely am learning from it so far.
Wonderful post and a great reminder. Looks like a book I need to get:) thanks!
The promise of God's presence is one of the most comforting in all of Scripture.
"There is no comfort in knowing that God is “everywhere” in the abstract unless I know that he is nearby for my good.…Until that is settled, no general knowledge of God from his visible works will bring me to any place except despair." The quotes you've shared from this book are wonderful. I'm looking forward to reading this book-- like tinuviel-- because of you; thank you!
Thank you for this post today. I will look forward to reading this book. Blessings to you sweet friend!
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