"Getting to Know God"
Psalm 139 (and other texts)................................Rev. Bruce Goettsche (5/7/2000)
This morning we begin a brand new study. For the next several of months we are going to study the attributes of God. In other words, we are going to try to address the questions, "Who is God?" and "What is God like?"
This is an important study because we live in a society that talks allot about God but these "gods" take on all kinds of different forms. It is important today to distinguish the true God from the many false gods of our world. Even in some churches, the god that is proclaimed and worshipped is not the same God who has revealed Himself in Scripture. Like it or not we are prone to try to create God in our image, rather than the other way around. A study of God's character will help us worship the true God rather than the God of our imagination.
David Wells in his book, God in the Wasteland describes the sad state of contemporary faith. He talks about the "weightlessness of God."
It is one of the defining marks of Our Time that God is now weightless. I mean by this that he has become unimportant. He rests upon the world so inconsequentially as not to be noticeable. . . Those who assure the pollsters of their belief in God's existence may nonetheless consider him less interesting than television, his commands less authoritative than their appetites for affluence and influence, his judgment no more awe-inspiring than the evening news, and his truth less compelling than the advertisers sweet fog of flattery and lies. [p. 88]
We need to see God as He is so that God can hold the position that He deserves.
Secondly we need to study the character of God because it is the greatest pursuit of our lives. There is nothing that we need more than to know God in a intimate and personal way. It was the prophet Jeremiah who wrote,
There is nothing that is more important or more valuable. There is no knowledge that is more significant than this. We desperately need to know God. Knowing God is the strength of our lives. Knowing God gives us direction and focus.
But even as I say all these things I must confess two frustrations,
There is a trio of words that begin to describe God. These words are not a complete description of God but they are a good beginning. Each of them starts with the prefix "omni" which means universal. Each of the "omni" words refer to a universal attribute of God.
This morning we look at the first of these characteristics. God's omnipresence means that He is present everywhere. God said through Jeremiah,
Am I only a God far away? Can anyone hide in secret places so that I cannot see him? Do I not fill heaven and earth? (Jeremiah 23:23,24)
In Psalm 139 David wrote,
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. If I say, “Surely the darkness will hide me and the light become night around me,” even the darkness will not be dark to you; the night will shine like the day, for darkness is as light to you. [Psalm 139:7-12]
In Matthew 28:20b Jesus told us,
And surely I am with you always, to the very end of the age.”
God's omnipresence means that God is present in all places. There is no place where God is not. God is not only present in all places but God is fully present in every place. Admittedly this kind of thinking is beyond the categories of our mind. But we must try to understand that God is able to be "present everywhere" because He is Spirit. He is not confined to a three dimensional existence. God is infinite which means He has no beginning or end. God is not limited by human categories, human experience, or human reason.
Rather than focus on the theoretical and theological discussions (which are valuable but also rather uninteresting from the pulpit), I want to show you that the reality of God's omnipresence is very important to us for four very practical reasons.
YOU ARE NOT ALONE
If God is present everywhere it means that He is present where you are. God is with you.
Do you remember the story of Jonah? God called this prophet to go and preach a message of repentance to the people of Ninevah. Ninevah was a wicked town and Jonah didn't want to go. So Jonah took most of the money he had and booked a trip on a boat going in the opposite direction! Jonah tried to flee from God's presence!
Suddenly a storm arises. The men on the boat believed (rightly) that the gods were upset for some reason. After much discussion and praying they determined that Jonah was running from God. They tried to avoid any drastic measures but finally they felt they had no choice. They threw Jonah into the sea and the sea grew quiet. Even in the water. . . God was there. He sent a big fish to swallow Jonah. And even under the water and in the fish God was there! After a time of "awakening" and repentance God caused the fish to spit Jonah onto the shore. No matter where Jonah was, God was there.
Truth is, we could tell the story of Moses, David, Elijah any of the other saints of old . . . their testimony would all be the same . . . they have found God to be present in every circumstance.
One of our favorite choruses to sing is "Surely the Presence of the Lord is in this place". That's a great song for a Sunday morning . . . but it is also a great song anytime and anyplace. The Lord is with us,
I know that it is quite possible that even in this crowd of people you feel desperately alone. You feel that no one notices you. No one really "sees" you. Everyone is like a ship that passes in the night. You wave, you smile, but you feel alone. Friend, hold on to God's omnipresence. You are not alone . . . God is by your side.
YOU NO LONGER NEED TO BE AFRAID
The knowledge of God's omnipresence not only means that you don't need to feel alone, it also means you no longer need to be afraid. No matter what you are facing, you face it with God at your side.
I always enjoyed going places and doing things with my uncle. I was never afraid when I was with him. Why? Because he was a Chicago Police officer and he carried a gun. I find that I am not overly afraid in the times when I don't feel well because I know that my wife is a nurse. When we are in the presence of someone who is strong in the area where we feel weak . . . our fear disappears.
The problem is that there are lots of times in life when we feel no human can help.
But in these times . . . in every time the Lord is at our side. If we trust Him . . . if we rely on Him . . .the fear is swallowed up in His sufficiency. Do you remember the great words of David? "Even though I walk through the dark valley of the shadow of death, I will fear nothing, for you are with me." (Psalm 23) Bill Hybels gives us some advice on overcoming fear,
God's presence is with you, but you have to make a choice to believe -- and I mean, really believe -- that this is true. This conscious decision is yours alone. As the panic rises, you must ask yourself, Am I going to trust in His comforting presence? Will I acknowledge His omnipresent reality? Will I allow Him to strengthen my soul? Or will I believe a lie and cry out, as so many do, "You are not near! You don't care for me, do You, God?" [The God You're Looking For p. 35]
If we want to live in the confidence that comes from God's omnipresence we need to act on this truth. First you need to consciously remind yourself that God is near. Remind yourself that "the presence of the Lord is in this place". Remind yourself of the promise that "he will never leave you nor forsake you." Focus on HIS strength, HIS power, HIS ability.
Second, consciously place yourself in His arms. I have found the greatest measure of deliverance from fear when I remind myself that the Lord is beside me and when I consciously and often verbally entrust myself to Him. I'll find myself saying something like this, "Lord, you know I don't want to do this . . . but I know I can do what is needed in your strength. So I take your hand and ask you to help me to rest in you." If I say it, and mean it, the fear gives way to strength.
YOU WILL LIVE WITH A NEW SENSE OF ACCOUNTABILITY
If God is present everywhere, then we are living coram deo (before the face of God) every moment of our lives. It means that everything we do is done in God's presence. If we remembered this fact it would certainly impact some of the things we choose to do. Philip Ryken writes,
If you want to keep away from sin, remember how impossible it is to escape God's notice. Never live as though God does not exist. Practice "the presence of God." as Brother Lawrence termed it. Speak to the Lord frequently throughout the day. Remember that everything you say, do, or even think is said, done, and thought in the infinite presence of a holy God. [Philip Ryken, Discovering God in Stories p. 47]
Do you remember your school days? Let's be really honest. You always enjoyed it when a substitute teacher was there. Why? Because you felt you could get away with all kinds of stuff. In my years as a substitute I have been amazed at how much people will try to "get away with". As a student you realize that the substitute doesn't know exactly what is expected. And, you try to exploit that fact to the best of your ability.
The same is true when we were with our parents. When we were in their presence we generally did what was expected. However, when we were with our friends we often engaged in behavior that we knew our parents would disapprove of. Why? Because we believed our parents would never find out.
It really doesn't change much when we are adults. When the boss is gone for the day we have a tendency to "slack off" a little at work. When we are away from home on a business trip we may engage in behaviors we would never do were we at home. Why? It's because we believe no one sees us. Realizing that God is present with us should affect the way we live from day to day. Bill Hybels says it well,
If we live our lives without an intense awareness of the omnipresence of God, we create one illusion after the next. We start to think, No one witnesses the way I "shade the truth" with a client in my office --they just hear me sing along with everyone else on Sunday morning. Or, No one witnesses my pilfering or "borrowing" of company pens and notepads -- they just see my soliciting donations for the food bank. No one witnesses my 11 P.M. binge -- they just see the discipline portions I take at dinners out. No one hears how I raise my voice at my wife, my husband, or my children -- all they hear is how well I pray at church. No one sees the illegal deal I am cutting -- they just see the folded check I drop in the offering.
God does not hover over us to accuse us. He does it to improve our lives. He says, "Look, I want to hold you accountable. I want you to now you are never going to fool Me so give up those silly games and let's get on with it. [The God You Are Looking For p. 30,31]
The biggest criticism of Christians is that they are hypocrites. They act one way on Sunday and live differently every other day of the week. And sometimes this is true. And it is true because people seem to think that God is not paying attention to them unless they are in church. That is faulty theology.
If we lived with a true sense of God's omnipresence we would live life much more honestly. There would be a new consistency in our lives. The person we are "when no one is looking" would be the same person as when everyone was looking. Sure, we will make mistakes. Yes, there will be times when we sin and act foolishly. But in those times we will quickly confess our sin rather than trying to cover it over. We will come clean rather than carry the guilt.
The next time you are about to do something that you hope no one will see . . . remember that God sees. The next time you feel you are outside of "His jurisdiction" remember that that place does not exist. God is everywhere. He is with you in everything you do. Strive to live your life coram deo or "before the face of God". Live your life for an audience of one and it will change the way you live your life.
YOU DON'T HAVE TO "FIND" GOD
If we have any sense of coran deo then we certainly know that we need the Lord and His forgiveness. To think that God has seen everything we have ever done humbles us and makes us cry out for God's mercy and grace.
We live in a world that tells us we need to find God. Some tell us that we can't find God. We are counseled to read some book, or attend some seminar. It is easy to get the idea that God is hiding from us. But He's not. God does not need to be found, He needs to be received.
God has gone to great lengths to make Himself known to us. He is the initiator. He has given us the Bible. He gave us prophets. He sent us His Son. And then God sent His Spirit into the world to draw us to Him. God is not hiding. He seeks us! He is not hiding . . . We are. Like Adam and Eve after their sin, we try to hide from God.
God calls out to you. He seeks you. He pursues you. He knows you and the sin you are ashamed of. And that is why Jesus went to the cross. He went there because God wanted to make it possible for you to have a relationship with Him. Jesus went to the cross to pay for your sin . . . so that you could know intimacy with God.
So, if you want to know God, you don't have to search for Him. You need to receive Him. We don't find God by running faster, or working harder. We find God by stopping and inviting the Lord to take control of our lives. We find Him when we let Jesus become our Savior, our Master and our dearest friend.
I know that some of you today would like to find God. Perhaps you feel that you are at the end of your rope. You may even feel that there is no where else to turn. Please listen carefully: God is not hiding from you . . . He's waiting for you. He's waiting for you to admit your sin and to entrust it to Jesus. He is waiting for you to stop trying to make it on your own and to trust Him. His arms are open. All you need to do is turn to Him. He's waiting.
Perhaps you need some direction this morning. If so, let me give you a sample prayer you might pray,
Lord Jesus, I come to you this morning. I need your forgiveness for my life. I desire to know you and to follow you. I receive you as the ever present one. I trust you as my Savior. Now, lead me from this day forward. Amen.
Understand, it is not the words you say . . . it is the attitude of your heart. So today I invite to turn to the God who is present everywhere. Whether you are turning to Him for the very first time or whether you are turning to Him for strength, peace or guidance . . . it doesn't matter. If you are turning to Him, you are turning in the right direction.