PerspectiveSample

You Are Here

God is near to you, right now. It is perhaps one of the most difficult characteristics of God to truly believe: that God, the creator of heaven and earth, is present with us. It is reality, though, as the Bible tells us in Deuteronomy 31:8. In a moment when the people of Israel were facing hardship and fear, Moses reminded the people that, “The Lord himself goes before you and will be with you; he will never leave you nor forsake you.”

Several years ago when my first child was born, I wrestled heavily with anxiety. While never officially diagnosed, there was no mistaking the lack of sleep, heart palpitations, difficulty breathing, and light-headedness I experienced daily. Never in my life had I experienced such a weight. However, never in my life had I clung so closely to the word of God to calm my spirit, either. We need to remember that, even when we can’t see Him working, He is still there. He is still the never-leaving, never-forsaking God that Moses proclaimed in Deuteronomy.

On those nights when we can’t sleep, we need to reach for scripture to remind us that God provides rest. When our hearts are racing and we feel like we can’t breathe, we must turn to His word to remind us of the stability of His heart. When our thoughts are clouded and confused, remember that He is a God of peace.

There are passages layered all throughout scripture that remind us of God’s active presence in every moment of every day. In the moments of pure joy, and on the days of great sorrow, He remains the same—our ever-present provider. He is the only consistency in such an inconsistent world and that is by design. We are daily meant to find our way back to Him. We must lean into Him for the peace that surpasses all understanding.

When we proclaim a statement like, “You are here” through song, we are reminding ourselves of the promises of God. We are choosing faith over fear. We are shifting our focus from the things we see in the natural to the things He sees in the supernatural. We are, in fact, changing our mind's perspective.

God, make your nearness known to me today. Help me to know that you are a God that is present in all seasons and all circumstances. You remain the same. Amen.