I’ve very commonly heard statements in all of Christendom like, “We were really in the presence of God”  or “God, come visit us today.”  Somehow we’ve gotten this misunderstanding that God visits us at various times.  Scripture makes it clear that those who are in Christ have the indwelling of the Holy Spirit – nothing to be underestimated – it is God with us.

God’s presence is no longer limited by time and space.  Let’s be clear that God did so by choice to protect His holy nature from the sinfulness of earth (or vice versa).  For this reason, God dwelled in the Holy of Holies in the Temple.  His nature is so powerful, so holy, so perfect, that interacting with human nature meant certain death to those who interacted with Him.  The Lord tells Moses, “No one can see my face and live.”  But with the atoning sacrifice of Jesus Christ, all of that changed forever.  At the moment of Jesus’ death, the thick curtain that separated the Holy of Holies from the rest of the Temple split in half, from top to bottom.  Suddenly, we were exposed to God Himself.  But it was because of the sacrifice of Christ – the blood sprinkled on the proverbial doorposts of the hearts of the human race, that interaction with God could and would become personal.  The angel of death would move over the earth, seeking to kill those who profaned the presence of God, but like in Exodus, it would see the blood of Christ on us, and it would pass over.  Jesus told His disciples just before ascending to heaven, “I will be with you always, even unto the very end of the age.”  It was a promise fulfilled at the Feast of Pentecost when the Holy Spirit descended on the Believers gathered there.

I think what people mean to say is that, “I felt the presence of God particularly on this occasion.”  But what has happened that the presence of God is strong one moment and not as strong another, for the presence of God is constant?  What has happened is that we have submitted to that Presence; we have become acute to Him and His indwelling; by conscious choice we make ourselves more aware through the power of the Holy Spirit.  Though, God the Holy Spirit is as present in the car in traffic as He is in the most incredible worship service, we seldom choose to recognize that.  It is easy to sense the presence of God when the lights are dim and the music is just right, but to sense and worship God at the difficult moments – that is the discipline and delight God wants to cultivate in each of us.

www.newhopechapel.org/worshipteam