03012025 God's Presence

Dear Missionary Lady,

Greetings in the name of the God who has said, “I will never leave you nor forsake you.”

We know that God is always with us, but there are vast variations within that knowledge. There are times when we know His presence in a powerful and palpable way, as incomprehensible peace and comfort flood our souls during times of great trouble.

There are other times when we know and sense His presence, but in a less profound way. We are assured and aware that God is with us, but in the sense of a steady and faithful presence, either during trials or in the everyday normality of life.

There are yet other times when there is nothing particularly obvious about His presence. We don’t doubt that God is with us, but we don’t necessarily have any overt confirmation or sense of it. We simply know that it is true and rest in the truth of it.

Then there are times when our doubt wants to creep in. Circumstances want to shout out that God is nowhere near. Scoffers (and Satan) taunt us that He has forsaken us. In these dark and troubling times, the only way we know God is with us is to cling in faith to His promise.

The Bible recounts a story in which two men in the same situation were at opposite ends of the spectrum when it came to knowing the presence of God. One man saw the abundant demonstration of it, while the other quaked in fearful doubt.

The king of Syria had sent a great host of soldiers, complete with horses and chariots. This army surrounded Dothan, where Elisha and his servant were staying. When the two men awoke in the morning, they were greeted by this alarming sight.

The servant did not see God’s presence. He cried out to Elisha, “Alas, my master! How shall we do?” (II Kings 6:15). Elisha was calm and reassuring. “Fear not: for they that be with us are more than they that be with them” (6:16).

Who was right? Elisha was. The actual situation was that “the mountain was full of horses and chariots of fire round about Elisha” (6:17). In addition, the LORD (who was there!) smote the enemies with blindness so that they were helpless to do anything. Elisha led the entire army to the king, where they were graciously released to return home, having learned their lesson.

Was God with Elisha, who saw the manifestation of His presence? Yes, indeed. Was God also with the servant, who did not see the manifestation? Yes, the reality of God’s presence was no different. God didn’t suddenly appear for the servant after Elisha’s intervention. He was already there. The servant’s doubt and lack of perception did not change the fact.

I love how impressive God’s presence was. This was one of those soul-bolstering moments when God’s presence was not just true; it was astronomical! The servant wasn’t sure it was true at all, when in reality, he was surrounded by a great heavenly host of power and protection.

Why did the servant doubt? In part, it probably was due to his experience. He had not seen all that Elisha had seen, so it wasn’t as natural and not as reinforced to him to assume God’s presence. In part, it may have been a matter of faith, that he had not built the same strong relationship that Elisha had with God. In part, it was divine choice. The servant eventually did see the vast heavenly army, but only after God opened his eyes and deliberately revealed Himself.

Lesson 1: When we don’t sense (or strongly sense) God’s presence, that doesn’t change the fact of it. He IS there.

Lesson 2: God is often (and probably always) with us on a level of which we have no idea. We can’t imagine how thoroughly and abundantly God is working on our behalf. This is true not only of the extent of revelation of His presence, but also of His ability to deliver and give answers.

Lesson 3: Sometimes God chooses to reveal His presence in amazing ways, and sometimes we just have to take it by faith. It’s no less true when we don’t have a dramatic experience.

Lesson 4: Our experience may not match someone else’s experience. That doesn’t mean God isn’t with us just the same. Although Elisha and his servant started out very different, God delivered them both. In the process, He gave the servant a faith-building incident he would never forget!

My desire is that you would be keenly aware of God’s presence, especially if you are in a time of particular need. My prayer, whether you strongly sense His presence or not, is that through faith you would rest in peace in the reality of His presence. He is with you more than you know!

Love in Christ,

Peggy Holt

member at Open Door Baptist Church in Lebanon, PA