Psalm 139 - Part 9
Psalm 139:7 Where shall I go from your Spirit? Or where shall I flee from Your presence?
I love listening to and singing contemporary Christian music, the lyrics remind me that I am no alone. Through daily praise, I feel the Holy Spirit rejoicing and I know that there is no place I can go that the Holy Spirit will not be.
In the time David wrote this Psalm, the Holy Spirit had not descended on the entire Church yet. God would put His Spirit upon one person or another for wisdom, strength or prophecy.
Not like it is now, after Jesus’ death, resurrection and ascension into Heaven. The day of Pentecost (Act 2) was when we as believers gained our counselor and comforter.
We have understanding and peace all because of the Holy Spirit.
He is always with us!
Even David realized that God was ever present.
In the story of Adam and Eve (Genesis 2-3) we see that God allowed His children to roam free in the Garden of Eden...even to the point that they were able to be deceived by a slithery serpent.
And there the first sin happened....
Adam and Eve acted as if God were nowhere around and hid themselves and covered their naked bodies because of shame.
God came to them and said, “Where are you?” and (Adam) said,
“I heard the sound of You in the garden, and I was afraid because I was naked, and I hid myself.” (Genesis 3:9-10)
Adam knew God was always there but when temptation started...
Adam drew himself away from God as if He wasn’t there at all. Able to sin without feeling condemned…or so he thought...
How many times do we do this? We say things like...
“I used to be so close to God but now I can’t feel His presence anymore.”
God never moved,
the Holy Spirit never left you
BUT
you have allowed some form of temptation to pull you away from being right at His feet.
God may give us trials but we are to count them as joy (James 1:2-4).
He is using these times to draw us closer to Him.
So we will push into Him for strength rather than give into our fleshly desires.
Next time something comes along to distract you from worship, study, prayer or ministry…go to God first; seek His kingdom over earthly desires.
We cannot flee from His presence….I think many would agree, once you’re in it why would you ever want to leave?
Thinking Deeper:
Have you ever felt yourself slip into temptation and later look around for God and can’t seem to find Him?
Are you in that place right now?
Take this moment to
search out your own heart,
find what it is that has caused a division between you and God
then ask for forgiveness.
Turn back to Him and let Him lavish you with His grace and mercy.
