Today's Bible Reading: JEREMIAH 22:24-23:32, 49:1-33, 2 KINGS 24:5-92, CHRONICLES 36:6-9
Jeremiah 23:23 “Am I a God at hand, declares the LORD, and not a God far away?
In difficult times we often wonder if God is near, because at times it seems as if He is far away. But He is near, ever present and never far away. Regardless of how we may feel or what we may perceive about God, He is ever present and never far away.
In this text the people of God had been led away by false prophets. God’s anger was kindled against them. It is in this moment that they felt that God was absence, that the Lord had abandoned them or for lack of a better term was not at hand. But God clarified their misconceptions. Trouble doesn’t take God away; He remains with you through your terrible. He is ever present and never far away during times of peril and in days of praise. He is ever present and never far away when His people reject him and when they rejoice in Him. Challenging circumstances don’t carry him away, but to the contrary they keep Him close. He is a God at hand, ever present and never far away.
The next verse expounds this truth. God poses two questions, “Can a man hide himself in secret places, so I that I cannot see him?” And “Do I not fill heaven and earth?” There is no place where anyone can elude the Lord because His presence is exhaustive filling every possible portion of heaven and earth. As the palmist declares, “. . . Or where shall I flee from your presence? If I ascend to heaven, you are there! If I make my bed in Sheol, you are there!” (Ps 139:7-8) God is literally everywhere you are. He is everywhere all at once.
In antiquity, idols were most often limited to their location such as their temple. They dwelt within its walls and they didn’t venture from their location. They were stationary gods. Where they were was where they stayed. They were not gods at hand ever present and never far away. To be in their presence you had to be present. But the Lord is not like them, He has no spatial restraints. He is everywhere all at once. He has no dimensional boundaries that limit His presence to a specific temple or sacred place. He is omnipresent, ever present and never far away.
This is great news for us. Wherever we are and whatever we encounter on life’s journey God is ever present and never far away. He is at hand when we are happy. He is at hand when we are hurting. He is at hand in our heartaches. He is at hand when the horrific happens. He is at hand when we need a hand. He is at hand when we need to be held. We should never doubt His presence, but trust in His declaration. What He says is where He will be, “I am a God at hand . . . .“ He is ever present and never far away.
Today dwell on God’s declaration to you, that He is a God at hand. Recite it over and over again in your head. Commit it to memory, so that when thoughts of abandonment overtake you, you can affirm this truth to reassure you of His presence. Wherever you are is where He is. Hold on tight to what He has proclaimed, rather than what you perceive. “Am I a God at Hand?” Yes, Yes you are!
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