Tuesday, November 10, 2009

November 10, 2009

"Our God, we thank you for being so near to us! Everyone celebrates your wonderful deeds." Psalms 75:1

Our awesome God is the sum total of a number of incredible attributes. One of His attributes is omnipresence. Omnipresence refers to the fact that God is fully present everywhere in the universe at all times. God has always existed and has always filled every square inch of His creation! He can do that because He is a spirit - an amazing, eternal, holy, powerful, and loving spirit.
If that were not true, then God could only be at one church on a given Sunday. That would mean that if He showed up at your church He would be absent at mine. But, fortunately, He is able to be fully present at every church everywhere.
That is what the Psalmist is giving thanks about! He is thankful that God is near! Not only is He near to you but He can be near to me at the same time! God is ever near everyone! His presence fills the universe. As the Psalmist celebrated:
"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. If I rise on the wings of the dawn, if I settle on the far side of the sea, even there your hand will guide me, your right hand will hold me fast. If I say, "Surely the darkness will hide me and the light become night around me," even the darkness will not be dark to you; the night will shine like the day, for darkness is as light to you." Psalm 139:7-12
The Psalmist is thankful that God is near, but who would't be?
It would seem that only a person who is not living well or who is self-willed would not be excited by the knowledge that God is near. For those who are seeking to serve God and to know Him, it is a blessed thought that God is near.
So, how do I know when God is near? How can I be sure? I can't see Him or touch Him, so how can I know that He really is near. The Psalmist answers that in the second part of this Psalm - God's presence is accompanied by His wonderful deeds. He does not hide Himself from us.
Why then does it seem sometimes He is not near when, by His very nature, we know He has to be? Could it be that we don't see or recognize His wonderful deeds? Could it be the deeds that He is currently doing is a work within you and you cannot yet see what He is doing?
It is impossible to have His presence and not have His deeds. Be thankful that He is near! And because He is near, He is at work accomplishing His wonderful deeds!