REALITY OF GOD’S NEARNESS

“THE LORD IS NEAR to all who call upon Him, to all who call upon Him in truth” – Psalm 145:18

A profound dimension of the Promise of God’s Presence is the REALITY OF HIS NEARNESS: “THE LORD IS NEAR to all who call upon Him, to all who call upon Him in truth” (Psa.145:18). One of God’s most profound and enlivening promises is of His nearness. David wrote: “If I take the wings of the morning, and dwell in the uttermost parts of the sea, even there Your hand shall lead me, and Your right hand shall hold me” (Psa.139:9-10). What an amazing image of His nearness! If we were to explore the ends of the earth, dive to the depths of the ocean or descend to the darkest places of our inner being, God would still be there. God’s presence floods creation like the early morning fog, saturating everything with His haze.

God’s presence is His promise. Many scriptures affirm the reality of His nearness: “Be strong and of good courage, do not fear nor be afraid of them; for the Lord your God, He is the One who goes with you. He will not leave you nor forsake you” (Deut.31:6). David exemplified this command, saying, “Yea, though I walk through the valley of the shadow of death, I will fear no evil, for You are with me; Your rod and Your staff, they comfort me” (Psa.23:4). God’s rod and staff are our instruments of comfort. So, what should be our response to the knowledge of His nearness? What does it mean for us?

God’s nearness is meant to be our source of courage, comfort, and strength: “God is our refuge and strength, a very present help in trouble” (Psa.46:1). We find refuge in the practice of His presence. His presence means everything for us. It means He will guide and shepherd us through life’s journeys. For me, it means, as I wake up every morning, God is there to love and nurture me. When I go about my day, He is there to help and empower me. When I lie down at night, God is there to give me rest and peace: “I lay down and slept; I awoke, for the LORD sustained me” (Psa.3:5). His nearness is my antidote against insomnia: “I will both lie down in peace, and sleep; For You alone, O Lord, make me dwell in safety” (Psa.4:8).

So, why do we seldom feel Him, though He is ever-present? Why do we at times feel frustrated, lonely, weary, and weak? Encountering God’s presence starts with having faith in what the Scripture says. Many people sincerely desire to experience God’s nearness, but they’ve been misdirected to seek for some esoteric, strange or spectacular manifestations! The Lord is near to us in two key ways: by His Word of Truth and the Spirit of Truth! He is near to “all who call upon Him in truth” (Psa.145:18). To call upon God in truth is to immerse ourselves in Scripture. There, we glimpse God’s actions that reveal His Majestic Presence. The more we allow His Word to permeate our minds and hearts, the more we will be able to pray in light of His Way, His Will, and His Wisdom. Not only will our prayers be answered positively, we’ll begin to ‘sense’ His Presence by the Holy Spirit.

God gets “close” to us as we meditate on His truth and grow into a deeper relationship with Him. To feel His nearness starts with trusting that He’s right next to you and wants you to know Him. God doesn’t force Himself on us. He doesn’t occupy space in our hearts that we fill with other things. You make space for Him by trusting in His word (Heb.13:5b). Then, you’ll encounter the nearness of your heavenly Father. Don’t look for feelings. Your job is to make space in your heart for His Word and trust Him. He’ll take care of the rest. Spend time daily in prayer and meditation renewing your mind to the promise of His presence, so that His nearness becomes your fountain of fresh hope, courage, strength, and rest.