GETTING TO KNOW GOD:  THE EVER-PRESENT LORD

TEXT:  "I will never leave thee, nor forsake thee." - Hebrews 13:5

What would do if you knew that Jesus was going to visit your house tomorrow?  Would you dust the furniture and vacuum the floor?  Would you hide magazines and questionable books?  Would you act differently than you normally do?

The fact is that He is at your home right now!  Jesus promised His followers, "I will never leave thee, nor forsake thee."  Perhaps we need to emphasize the word, "never" in that verse.  Although He is not visible to our eyes, the Lord is with us right now.

God is omnipresent.  He is everywhere at once.  He is with me as I write this message.  He is also with you, even if you're in another state or country. 

Among the many attributes of God, His omnipresence is one that we should consider.  The omnipresence of God should bring caution and comfort to all of His children.

1.  CAUTION

First of all, the omnipresence of God should lead us to live with caution.  Far too many professing Christians act as if God isn't there with them.  They pretend that He is unaware of their thoughts, words and actions. 

By and large, Americans do not fear God.  Shamefully, many professing believers show little respect and honor for the Lord.  It is hypocritical to act worshipful for an hour on Sunday, then show no regard for the Lord the rest of the week.  Why do so many church members live so hypocritically?  First of all, I'm convinced that many church members are lost.  Secondly, those who are saved often forget about the omnipresence of God. 

Our beliefs motivate our actions.  Far too often, church members view life like unbelievers:  "I only believe what I can see."   For many, faith in an unseen God can't is not revealed by their character, conduct or conversations.

How would you act if Jesus visibly visited your home?  Would you act much different than you do now?  Would you be more kind?  Would you refrain from swearing and cursing?  Would you talk judgmentally about others? 

Since the Lord is there in your home, you should live like it!  Understanding the truth of God's omnipresence should cause us to live holy lives.  Living in the light of His omnipresence should motivate us to be honest and faithful.  Knowing that God is with us should prompt us to treat others correctly.  The omnipresence of God should stir us to good works.  Worldliness and compromise would vanish if we truly believed that God is here with us every moment.

2.  COMFORT

Secondly, the subject of omnipresence should bring us comfort.  Here are number of reasons His omnipresence should comfort us.

First of all, we ought to be comforted by the presence of God.  So many feel lonely and unloved.  When we truly appreciate the love of God and omnipresence of God, our loneliness fades quickly.

Secondly, the omnipresence of God comforts us because of the promises of God.  An active faith in the presence of God encourages us to keep serving.  Because Jesus has risen, Paul wrote, "Therefore, my beloved brethren, be ye stedfast, unmoveable, always abounding in the work of the Lord, forasmuch as ye know that your labour is not in vain in the Lord."  Paul had such faith because Jesus has risen and the fact that the Lord was with him & saw everything he did.  Whether others see your sacrificial deeds or not, the omnipresent God sees them.  The promise of future rewards is precious to us because we know that God is here with us and sees everything that we do.  Such promises motivate us to keep on keeping on.

Third, His omnipresence comforts us when it comes to our prayers to God.  When we understand that God is near, prayer is no longer just a legalistic religious act.  Instead, we know that He hears every word we speak in prayer...even the silent prayers!

We serve an unseen, but ever-present Lord.  Reflect on this fact in the coming week and see how your life changes!