God is omnipresent

 God is everywhere. As Christians, we realise that we can see God at work in our daily lives. We can sense the presence of God when we’re going through difficult days. We’re impressed with the reality of God in our world when we look at His handiwork in creation. God is everywhere around us, and He, through His Holy Spirit, even lives in us by faith. 

However, to say that God is everywhere, or omnipresent, isn’t the same as pantheism. Pantheism says that God actually is everything. He’s in the rocks, the trees, the soil, the animals around us, God’s existence is inseparably linked with the physical creation. But the Christian concept of God’s omnipresence says that His existence is independent of His creation.

King Solomon, in 1 Kings 8.27, declared, “But will God really dwell on earth? The heavens, even the highest heaven, cannot contain you.” God isn’t limited by space. In fact, the entire universe couldn’t possibly contain God. Although creation can’t contain God, God is present throughout His creation. David wrote in Psalm 139.7-10, “Where can I go from your Spirit? Where can I flee from your presence? If I go up to the heavens, you are there, if I make my bed in the depths you are there. If I rise on the wings of the dawn, if I settle on the far side of the sea, even there your hand will guide me, your right hand will hold me fast.” David acknowledged the omnipresence of God and took great comfort in knowing that God was present in his life.

While God is equally present everywhere, He hasn’t chosen to reveal His presence equally in all places at all times. Instead, God manifests His presence in special ways. For example, God made His presence known in a special, powerful way in ancient Israel when He filled the Tabernacle, that focal point of worship. Exodus 40.34 tells us, “Then the cloud covered the Tent of Meeting, and the glory of the Lord filled the tabernacle.” The early church experienced a similar manifestation of the powerful presence of God. Acts 4.31 says, “After they prayed, the place where they were meeting was shaken. And they were all filled with the Holy Spirit and spoke the word of God boldly.” Christians today can also experience the presence of God in their lives. Paul instructs us to “be filled with the Spirit” in Ephesians 5.18. But in 2 Thessalonians 1.9, Paul also warns that those who fail to put their faith in Jesus Christ will be “shut out from the presence of the Lord.” They will suffer eternal separation from God.

Invite Jesus to come into your heart today. He wants to be present in an unending relationship with you. The omnipresent God of the universe wants to be powerfully present in your life today and forever.