Intimacy With God #2: The Never Alone Presence

Psalm 139:7-12

7. Where can I go from your Spirit? Where can I flee from your presence?
8. If I go up to the heavens, you are there.

 If I make my bed in the depths, you are there.

9. If I rise on the wings of the dawn, if I settle on the far side of the sea, 10. even there your hand will guide me, your right hand will hold me fast.
11. If I say, "Surely the darkness will hide me, and the light become night around me,"
12. Even the darkness will not be dark to you. The night will be like the day.
For darkness is as light to you.

Solitude or Isolation

Experiencing solitude is a blessing. Experiencing isolation is a curse. Sadly, in our 21st century, more people are really good at isolating, and they are having difficulty being simply a part of things. The 140 character tweets of twitter conversations, and the artificial friendships of social media, have moved people to a place where they wonder if it's where they want to be. Yes! Each one may interact on the perfect pictures portrayed by Facebook families. Sadly, because those selfies are way too perfect, it leaves some folks feeling abandoned, as if they are not enough.  Solitude, the relationship with God, in privacy and publicly, has become foreign for many lost souls  who really want to belong.  Isolation, on the other hand, has become far too many person's best friend, in the sea of artificial "friendships."

Practicing God's Presence: A Powerful Lesson

If you look closely at this IWG (Intimacy With God) teaching psalm, you will see that the Psalmist discovered a most powerful truth-lesson. And in knowing the truth, he was set free! He learned the extraordinary way of viewing the Universe. More importantly he shifted his way of viewing the Creator,  and sustainer, of the Universe. He ejected his mundane thinking about God for a most remarkable mindset of daily living: He learned, and or  discovered, how to practice God's presence. When he did, God's powerful presence abounded in his own personal perception of all that is. He adopted an eternal way of living.

Lessons Learned: Practice God's Presence

He learned that no matter what he felt, he could not ever get away from the presence of God. He joyfully accepted he could not escape it. Nor did he want to escape it.  Wow! Think about this: He knew beyond a shadow of a doubt God is ALWAYS with him. If he would go to the heights of Heaven, God was right there. If he found himself in the deepest depths of depression, or any other kind of depths, God was journeying with him!He could travel anywhere, like I did to far flung parts of Planet Earth, and he found out God was already there waiting to guide him, and holding on tightly to him. If he found himself in some very dark places, it had to have surprised him, initially, that the darkness is easily handled by God. As a matter of fact, when this truth came FULLY alive, it gave him the astounding viewpoint that darkness is not a challenge for God. For God, darkness and light are handled with ease, as if they are the same ... because to God they are. All of this taught him a most important spiritual practice of "Practicing God's Presence."

The Never Alone Presence of God

The beauty of all this is that we Christ-Followers, may daily experience God's never alone presence.  For God Almighty, and our Loving Heavenly Father, is here to envelope you and me with His presence no matter what we are going through; therefore, we do not have to cave in to the brokeness and pain of isolation. We can stop interpreting life through the eyes of what the world says we should see. We can practice the very presence of God. We can choose solitude, during our most challenging times. And we can look to our Creator through the eyes of faith.  

It's a fact, and my own life bears it out. We are NOT alone. Let us call out to The Holy Spirit to flow into, and through,  our lives, as we intentionally seek to practice God's presence. We cannot go anywhere that God is not there.

1. In the highest heavens, God is there.
2. In the deepest of depths, God is there.
3. On the other side of the globe, across the Pacific or Atlantic, God is on the other shore.
4. In the darkest places in our lives, God is there.
5. In the brightest places, God is there.
6. In darkness or light, in light or dark, it's all the same to God who is present with us.
7. God offers you and me his "You Are NEVER Alone" Presence.

Jesus exemplified walking with God every moment he was on the earth, and he offers such wisdom living to you and me. He says, "I am the way, the truth and the life. NO ONE comes to the Father except through me." Christ-Follower, since you have your Lord, and Savior, Jesus, and HE is the way to God, why not start practicing God's presence right here and right now?Get in your private place of solitude, and be alone with God. Think about the ancient wisdom being taught in this Psalm. Then you will NEVER be alone. Follow the Lord.

In Jesus Name.

Amen.

SoJourner