WHERE IS GOD? -- Devotional for March 19, from "Good Seeds"

“Where can I go from Your Spirit? Where can I flee from Your presence? If I could ascend into the heavens, You are there. If I could make my bed deep in the earth, You are there. If I say, ‘Surely the darkness will hide me,’ the darkness is as light to You.” (Psalm 139:7-12),

In this Psalm David mused, “Is there anywhere, Lord, where You are not?” The Bible teaches that God is omnipresent – everywhere at once, and that He is omniscient – all-knowing and all-seeing. These are theological answers, but I think David was looking for a personal one: “Lord, sometimes I feel so all alone. I don’t know if I’m hidden from You, but You sure seem hidden from me! Where’s Your comforting nearness I’ve so often bragged about? Where’s that peaceful presence I’ve grown accustomed to? These are all but gone now. Does that mean You are gone, too? O Lord, if You can hear me, please know that I am feeling so thoroughly isolated and alone right now.” Is this verse reflecting the sentiment of Jonah, whose disobedience mimicked Adam’s in the Garden: both men couldn’t wait to get away from God, and were looking for a good hiding place. No, this is different: David wasn’t fleeing from God, but seeking Him. But the question remains: “Is it possible for a disconnect to take place between my soul and my Savior?” The song, “They Call the Wind Moriah” expresses this fear in mournful tones, “And now I’m lost, so gol’ dern lost, not even God can find me!” It is at such times that we need to turn away from feelings and fears and lean hard on what we know is true. And the truth is, God is never lost, and we are never lost to God. How much better to sing, “Jesus is near to comfort and cheer just when I need Him most.” But then why does He so often seem so far away? Maybe it’s because we are so prone to seek comfort in anything or anyone else but Him. As long as we have any other recourse or resource God will stay His hand, and stay in the shadows, until we humbly admit that, apart from Him, we are totally lost and helpless. Human wisdom says, “When you come to the end of your rope, tie a knot and hang on!” Heavenly wisdom says, “Forget the knot! Just let go, knowing God is there, to bear you up in His everlasting arms.” Too often we place our hope in ourselves, or in the comfort other people and their clever inventions promise to provide. When we push God aside, that’s when He seems most distant. But when the last threads of our human hopes slip through our fingers, that’s when we can finally find our Lord. And that’s where He’s been all along, patiently waiting! Oh to find the shortcut to the end of myself – for that’s the quickest route to the mercies of God!