His Presence
Where could I go from your Spirit? Or where could I flee from your presence? — Psalms 139:7
Now to him who is able to keep them from stumbling, and to present you faultless before the presence of his glory in great joy, to God our Savior, who alone is wise, be glory and majesty, dominion and power, both now and forever. Amen. — Jude 1:24-25
Author
Faustino de Jesús Zamora Vargas
Summary: The Holy Spirit assures us that God dwells in us and protects us in our daily struggles. His presence does not vanish when we sin or face affliction: it calls us to repentance, though sin can keep us from enjoying it. Sincere prayer and the Word help us recognize His comfort and correction. We should not measure His presence by extraordinary signs, success, or material appearances. It becomes visible in a humble, godly life and in quiet help for those who suffer. Let us examine our lives and return to the Lord, who is faithful and forgiving; in His presence there is fullness of joy.
The glorious ministry of the Holy Spirit exists to make us know that God’s presence in us is real. He dwells in us to continually attest to the existence of the Truth, to His omnipresence; it is God Himself guarding His children in the daily battle
that comes with living in a world to which we no longer belong. David knew this, and so his cry was justified. No one can flee from the presence of God. However much we try to hide the outward signs left by the biting sting of sin, He is there; His Spirit groans and waits for your repentance, but does not abandon you. “In my confusion I came to say, ‘I have been cast out of your presence!’ But you heard my pleading voice when I asked you to help me” (Ps 31:22).
There is no joy comparable to the experience of sensing the Lord’s presence in our spirit, even when, at times, our afflictions and brokenness seem to make no sense. Even when we see a world ordered according to the devious pursuits born of self-worship (me, me, and only me) and the excess unleashed when human beings disregard their Creator and trust in themselves, God is present; He has not gone away. They will be excluded from the glory of His power, but His presence is radical.
Sincere prayer allows us to enjoy the presence of God. “I pray to you, Lord, to help me; in the morning I seek your presence in prayer” (Ps 88:13). The Word of God is also a marvelous act of His presence. When we realize that God is speaking directly to us through His Word, don’t you feel His presence in your own emotions and feelings? Don’t you feel that movement of the Spirit within you that seeks to comfort you, ease your sorrows, and even rebuke you for some sin you dared to try to hide from Him?
Many seek mighty signs and wonders as proof that He reigns and is present; others testify to His presence for their own convenience.
Sometimes we are naive enough to take the success of others, their outward circumstances, as proof of God’s presence in their lives: having a good house, a well-paid job, a stable family, because life seems to smile on them in every undertaking. These are artificial patterns. There is no such model. Appearances deceive. The presence of Christ becomes visible in the man and woman of God who humbly show the Holy Spirit in their lives; it is the radiance of your face that your brothers and sisters in the faith notice, the testimony of a godly life, the hand extended to those who suffer and are in need (without anyone seeing it but God).
Christ lives in you. He does not move away. It is we—even Christians—whose sins keep us from experiencing His presence. God does not turn His back on the sinner; rather, the sinner turns his back on God. If you do not feel the presence of God in your life, examine your life! The Lord is faithful and forgiving, and He longs for us to live in His presence.
Drawing on his own experience in the Lord’s presence, David makes a declaration that fills us with confidence and opens a path of expectation before us: “…In your presence there is fullness of joy; pleasures at your right hand forevermore” (Ps 16:11).
God bless you!