“Where can I go from your Spirit? Where can I flee from your presence? If I go up to the heavens, you are there; if I make my bed in the depths, you are there. If I rise on the wings of the dawn, if I settle on the far side of the sea, even there, your hand will guide me; your right hand will hold me fast.” Psalm 139:7-10
God is in our midst, and we are often unaware of His presence. Since God has already revealed Himself to us, we must be alert to recognize that God is present and active in our world today. And it’s not only intense situations where we will find Him.
Chapter 19 of 1 Kings shares the story of the prophet Elijah who flees from Jezebel to a cave on Mount Horeb. (Read 1 Kings 19:9-13). He has just been part of a miracle, and in the performance of this miracle, Elijah orders the death of Baal prophets, provoking the anger of Jezebel and causing him to flee. God questions Elijah about what he is doing in the cave and invites Elijah to hear Him. God produces a mighty wind that destroys mountains, an earthquake, and a fire, but Elijah does not hear God. In the quiet, Elijah hears a gentle whisper, leaves the cave, and receives God’s instructions.
Sometimes our language can distort the process of perceiving Him. People say, “God really showed up in worship today.” Or, when God appears absent, “If we pray harder, maybe the Holy Spirit will show up.” This language fails to grasp the central truth of God’s omnipresence. It resembles Elijah’s experience on Mount Carmel with the prophets of Baal. After their initial failed efforts, including shouting at Baal, “Elijah taunts them. ‘Shout louder!’
We don’t need to ask God to be present because He is always present; we need to seek His presence. We must grasp this message of listening. God does not suggest that we might want to listen to Him if we have free time or nothing better to do. He says to be attentive all the time. Listen to His Word – listen to what is happening around us – to the words spoken to us – to the words we speak to others. Scripture shares, “So then faith comes by hearing, and hearing by the word of God.” (Romans 10:17″.’
C.S Lewis once said: “We may ignore God, but there is nowhere we can evade His presence. The world is crowded with Him. He walks everywhere incognito. The real labour is to attend to His presence, listen, watch, and respond.” Can you be still, put aside distractions and intentionally listen for God?