Experience the Presence of God: Be Aware

By Frank A. DeCenso Jr.
Guest Writer

CBN.com –

Jeremiah 23:24 (New Living Translation)
Can anyone hide from me? Am I not everywhere in all the heavens and earth?" asks the LORD.

This verse applies no matter who you are. Like Adam and Eve, some people may try to hide from God¹², but to no avail. He is always there, wherever you are. We are always ‘in’ His presence. Here in Jeremiah, the nature of His presence is not manifestational, as it was over the Mercy Seat; rather, it is a universal presence that enables the Creator to always be with His creation.

As believers, we can appropriate this step by maintaining a conscious awareness that His presence is ‘ever present’ with us. When we are at home, when we are at the store, when we are in the car - wherever we are, so is He.

A conscious, daily pondering of this truth will prove to be of great comfort to us when we have struggles in life. It will also help us to elevate our minds from this earthly plane to His heavenly realm: "If then you were raised with Christ, seek those things which are above, where Christ is, sitting at the right hand of God. Set your mind on things above, not on things on the earth" (Colossians 3:1-2).

In addition to God’s presence being universal, He also indwells believers.

1 Corinthians 3:16
Do you not know that you are the temple of God and that the Spirit of God dwells in you?

What an astounding thing - that God Himself has chosen to dwell in us, His adopted children!¹³ We are never alone. He is with us through joy and pain, in blessing and heartache, while we are awake and while we are asleep. Always. He is closer than our very breath. In fact, “In Him we live and move and have our being” (Acts 17:28).

With these truths before us, we now turn to the next step of actively seeking God's presence: being active.

¹² Genesis 3:8

¹³ Romans 8:9-11, 15-16

Frank has been teaching the Bible in churches and other venues for more than 20 years. He is currently the Ministry Resources Director at Vineyard Christian Fellowship of Virginia Beach, Va. He is an employee at Regent University in the Information Technology Department. Frank is married and lives in Virginia Beach.