ESOCS Devotional 27 December 2021
TEXT: GENESIS 28:10-22
MEMORY VERSE:
“And behold, I am with thee, and will keep thee in all places whither thou goest, and will bring thee again into this land; for I will not leave thee, until I have done that which I have spoken to thee of” (Genesis 28:15 KJV).
The presence of God changes everything. As students of the Bible, we understand that God is present everywhere, at all times. Omnipresent is the big word we use to describe this attribute of God. The psalmist affirmed the omnipresence of God: “Where can I go to escape your Spirit? Where can I flee from your presence? If I go up to heaven, you are there; if I make my bed in Sheol, you are there” (Ps. 139:7-8). The problem is this: if God is present everywhere, why do I sometimes feel He is so far away?
It can be helpful in those times to understand the difference between God’s omnipresence and the manifest presence of God. God’s omnipresence means He is always there—even when the awareness is not. His Holy Spirit indwells believers at all times. God’s manifest presence, however, is something that occurs in our lives as He chooses to reveal Himself. It is something that is sometimes experienced, and at other times not. Familiar examples of the manifest presence of God in Scripture include: Jacob at Bethel (Gen. 28:15); Moses at the burning bush (Ex. 3:2-6); Shadrach, Meshach, and Abednego in the fiery furnace (Dan. 3:24-25); Daniel in the lions’ den (Dan. 6:7-24).
The promise of Scripture is that God is always present with us. Nothing changes that fact; it is only our awareness that changes. God’s promise to Jacob was, “Behold, I am with thee …” (Gen. 28:15). Jacob’s reply? “Surely the Lord is in this place, and I knew it not” (v. 16). This promise has been given to us (Matt. 28:20; Heb. 13:5). Child of God, do not allow the darkness of the night or the presence of the storm cause you to doubt whether God is present and working in your life. Indeed, the storms of life do not deny His presence but provide opportunity to prove His presence.
It’s been said that the essence of the Christian life is to live all of life in the awareness of God’s presence, under His authority, and for His glory. That’s the life I want. What about you?
- Do you sometimes feel the presence of God is far from you? Pray about it.
- Lord Jesus, help me to always feel your presence around me, in Jesus’ name.
Read Other ESOCS Devotional here
FURTHER READING: Isaiah 43:1–7; 41:10–20
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ESOCS Devotional 27 December 2021
