Scripture Reading: Exodus 34:1-7, Exodus 34:29-35, Deuteronomy 4:7, Isaiah 41:10, John 1:14-18, John 14:15-17
God, out of His benevolent love, has made His presence available to people. Although this has looked differently in various times of salvation history, God’s desire to be near and for people to draw near to Him has remained consistent. His nearness is a never-fading part of the fullness of His character. He is present, personal, and relational. He is Immanuel, “God is with us” (Matthew 1:23).
We see this in Exodus 34, when God the Father met with Moses on Mount Sinai. Moses came down from the mountain and found he had to conceal his face with a veil in order to speak with the Israelites. He “did not realize that the skin of his face shone” after talking with God—that it was reflecting the radiance of God’s glory and frightening his fellow Israelites as a result of the intense presence of the Lord (Exodus 34:29).
God the Son, Jesus, came near in His incarnation. Fully human, Jesus walked, slept, ate, and drank. He lived among the people, and He also withdrew to spend time with God the Father alone. Before His death and resurrection, Jesus promised another Counselor—the Holy Spirit—who would bring God’s presence near to those who love Him (John 14:16).
In 2 Corinthians, Paul wrote that the sacrifice of Christ and the ministry of the Holy Spirit have changed the nature of our relationship with God. We can now gaze upon the glory of God with unveiled faces, just as if we were staring into a mirror (2Corinthians 3:18). While Moses was once the mediator between God and His people, we now have Christ, the “radiance of God’s glory and the exact expression of his nature” (Hebrews 1:3) as our mediator. Because of Christ, we can enter into a relationship with God both corporately as His Church and as individuals. Even more, we have received the Holy Spirit to remain in God’s presence at all times.
Our relationship with God is rooted in His glory and expressed in His immanence, which means God is present with us—deeply invested and active in each of our lives. He is a personal God. He relates to us, loves us, and cherishes us. Rather than being distant, inaccessible, and detached, He has drawn near to us so that we might draw near to Him. By grace, He dwells among us, and by that same grace, He invites us into His presence.
Written by The She Reads Truth Team
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46 thoughts on "God Is Present"
I have said before presence was my “word” last year. I really need to hone in that that God LIVES in me. That he is like a Father, a brother, a friend, a confidant, but also has his very presence in me. It is hard to fathom even though I have been a life long Christian. And frankly, few “Christians” seem to radiate or even act as a person with Christ in them. Why…is it so hard? Why isn’t it more evident? Oh wouldn’t it be so wonderful that we had a special lit up body at the point of salvation!! We would be marked and transformed, and radiating?!! Yet, we ARE supposed to be. I know God knows me. He sees me, he is with me. But I need to radiate his presence, walk in it daily and hourly—SHINE his immanence in me!
Lord- Help me to reveal you character, your joy, love and peace. Your patience and self-control. I need to die to myself, and let you make your presence be known- not just when I leave my house, but through the ordinary days, (like just now when my husband rubbed my head and it irked me because I’m typing..lol) Oh, to be real! I guess it is called transformation, sanctification for a reason. He comes in us- but it is a lifelong transformation. We have to BE in scripture with our heart and love for Him, not just for head knowledge or check marking. We have to be in meditation. Be in prayer, constantly communing with our loving Father that wants relationship. He never leaves us. How remarkable and mind-blowing.
Happy Monday sweet She’s. I’m going to have to go back to re-read this devotion as I attempted it with a headache. My God and My Jesus are with me and with you all!
I am so thankful for my God who is with me and is my God. In this difficult season of life with my back pain and my sweet hubby’s dementia, this is one of the verses I hold close. His presence strengths and helps me each day. As the song says “all my life…I have lived in the goodness of God”
Have a blessed week sweet sisters!
Thank you, God, for desiring to dwell with us. ❤️
Maybe it’s my Monday brain after a long weekend, but my initial thought after reading was “didn’t we study this last week with God’s omnipresence?” But as I thought about it more, yes and no. When I think of it in human terms, I can be in the same house as my children, but am I present (definition: fully focused on or involved in what one is doing or experiencing)? God is ALWAYS fully focused on or involved with what I am doing or experiencing. I have a friend who tells everyone she is God’s favorite, which we can each individually say – I am God’s favorite!
Thank You God for not only being omnipresent but also present!
I thought the same thing! I love that analogy.
Great point. Thanks for sharing it.
God is with me, with us. I am so thankful. The more I study His word and seek Him, the clearer I can see and feel this truth.
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In devo’s 4th paragraph referencing 2 Corinthians 3:18 it says “ We can now gaze upon the glory of God with unveiled faces, just as if we were staring into a mirror”.
I’m having trouble expressing why this comment doesn’t sit quite right with me. If I were using pencil on paper, I would have erased a hole through it many times over by now.
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TAMI – praying for Chela, that the lies will be overcome by Christ’s love for her.
I really loved today’s devotion and scripture, especially the part about the Holy Spirit. If you don’t mind, I’d like to share why. Yesterday, one of the associate pastors started a new series on the Creed, and his message was about the Holy Spirit. He opened the sermon by comparing how “we feel” about the Spirit to how people felt about a character named Bruno in the movie Encanto. (I’ve never seen the movie, but I’ve heard about it.) The thing is, it felt like he kept saying Christians are scared of the Holy Spirit. I know I’ve never felt that way. Honestly, the way he explained it actually made the Holy Spirit seem even scarier and almost unnaproachable. It just didn’t sit right with me. I prayed for him last night and again this morning, because something about the message really bothered me. Maybe I’m reading too much into it, but it’s been heavy on my heart. So it was really comforting to open the Word this morning and read about the Holy Spirit — the One I know, love, and trust.
Agreeing that we should not fear the Holy Spirit, given to believers as a gift- Helper, Counselor, Comforter.
2 Corinthians 3:17 Now the Lord is the Spirit, and where the Spirit of the Lord is, there is freedom.
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Joining you in prayer.
So thankful to gather with you all today and be reminded just how close our God is, who loves us deeply and wants us to deeply know Him! I was reminded of Proverbs 18:24 that our God is closer than a brother/sister. Lifting up all the prayer requests <3 if you can please pray for my friend Ryan whose mom died last night. Love and hugs to all and praying we feel God’s presence in a unique way this week!
♥️Good to “see” you today, Taylor! ♥️
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God, thank you for being a personal God and for your right hand that holds onto me, protecting and guiding me, strengthening and helping me.
Thank you Lord for Your
presence in my life
God knows the secret of the heart (Psalm 44:21). I pray He will grant you favor and not withhold good from you. This is God’s battle.
So thankful for God’s presence and His Spirit living in us. We can know His closeness and love always
Father it is so hard for my human limited brain to truly comprehend that You are with me always; Your spirit within me. Give me a fresh revelation to carry that through all my actions; words; deeds every day. I love Hou Lord. Holy Spirit guide, comfort, strengthen me always. In Jesus name, Amen
Amen!
Amen!
I need God’s presence and your prayers today please. My daughter Chela had been doing so well and now it feels like she has taken 10 steps back. She is in a very dark place, a place of self hatred and loathing, she feels hopeless. My heart is breaking for her. Although she is not a believer, she asked me to pray for a miracle for her yesterday. She responded that she didn’t believe in “my god” but a power in the universe. I told her that’s ok because my God created the universe. Baby steps with her. She needs Jesus! She needs healing of her body, mind and spirit. She needs God’s presence.
Praying, Tami, for Chela!! Praying that in this dark place, she will feel & see the light of hope from Jesus in her heart and mind, that she will be guided and protected, that she will be able to look back and see the miracle from our God that brought her out of this darkness. Praying for you, Tami, in this too.
Lord please protect Chela from the darkness around her. Bring your mercy and your light to her life. Surround her in your glory and bring her peace. Let her open her eyes to begin to see your love and grace. In Jesus Christ I pray.
Tami, I am praying so hard for you and your daughter. I walked a very dark road of depression for a lot of years. I know how difficult it is for her and for you being her mom. Your responses are so beautiful and not pushy. Praying over her now.
Praying for your precious Chela! May God bring her out of her darkness into His glorious light! Praying for you as well, Tami. You have so much on your plate right now.
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I’m sorry, we feel so helpless when we can’t seem to reach or say the right thing to reach them. My niece said nearly the same thing last night. So down on herself and life. It’s sad to see when they should be having fun and loving life. I will pray for Chela and my niece Sav. That God will shine his light on their face.
Praying for God to wrap Chela in his love and protection and that from this dark place she would experience His hope and peace.
Lord, even though Chela doesn’t realize it, Your presence is all around her. Please, Lord, may Your Presence light up the darkness all around her and bring her to an understanding of who You are and of Your love for her. Amen
Praying, Tami! ❤️
Praying for Chela! It sounds like God is working in her life if she opened herself up to asking for prayer. Lord, we pray that you would heal Chela of her mental struggles & that she would come to know peace through You. Jesus, we thank you for Tami who is navigating how to support her daughter. May you give Tami the words to speak and ears to listen. Bless both of these ladies! Amen.
“God’s desire to be near and for people to draw near to Him has remained consistent. His nearness is a never-fading part of the fullness of His character. He is present, personal, and relational.”
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Amen and amen.
Psalm 8:4
“What is a human being that you remember him, a son of man that you look after him?”
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Praying you all sense our ever-present God today.
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Amen❤️
Dear Lord be with me today and evert day
I feel.like I have had a light bulb moment!
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So, I was looking up the word immanence, as it was a tad too big a word for my now smaller, and older brain!
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Immanence.. The state of being present within something, or inherent within it..
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Got it!
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Understood!
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Light bulb moment, and please feel free to say this was a moment for you tooooooo..
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Imman-uel, what we know and understand as God with us, is derived from that word, or was it the other way around?
I mean, I always understood, the meaning of Immanuel, much like my name Christiana, means follower of Christ.. I got that there was a meaning to the names of old that we are given..I
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Am I thinking toooo deeply into this?
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However the word came about, I am so very thankful for Gods presence in my life, His constant care and grace, mercy and hope, and His wonderful love wrapped in His goodness that follows me, all the days of my life.
LORD GOD, thank you for the gift of your Holy Spirit, that keeps me in check, thank you, Father God, thank you for YOU, in my life.
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AMEN.
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Happy Monday dear hearts!
Much love, hugs and prayers for all.❤❤❤
Wow, thanks for the additional insight ❤️
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Thank you, Tina! ❤️
Thank you! I was going to look up the word immanence too!
Thank you for sharing this, Tina. Light bulb for me as well ☺️
Thanks Tina! I never put that together before. Thank you for sharing!
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I still had to look it up for pronunciation!