GOD'S PRESENCE (2).

*WISDOM FOR TODAY.*

*GOD'S PRESENCE (2).*

*Scripture Treasure.*

Psalm 46:1 *God is our refuge and strength, a very present help in trouble.*

*Insight and Highlight.*

God is ever present but may not actively participate or mediate in times of trouble.

*Scripture Commentaries.*

While God is never absent in the goings in this world, He reserves His choice to not respond to all troubles.

Though He sees, actively watches and knowledgeable of any ongoing distresses, He may choose to restrain His active involvement.

Given this expression, we need to understand what God's presence in times of trouble means.

God's presence may be differentiated from God as *"......a very present help in trouble"*

God's presence is His unique attribute of His omnipresence while God as *" a very present help in trouble"* is His providence to provide protective care in times of trouble.

So, God is present in all things and everywhere but He may choose not to provide the protection to save in a distressful situation.

While God sees all that happens in this world, both good and evil, He often does not save or stop or prevent evil.

This does not undermine His sovereignty but simply explains that evil happens not because He is not in control or because He does not have the power to provide total protective care but because He allows evil under a permissive will. Evil can not happen in its own power.

It all happens because God allows it.

Job 1: 12 tells us how God allowed Satan to afflict Job.

Eph 2:2 tells us that Satan as the *"....prince of the power of the air,......"*

So, how and why would God restrain His providential care in the midst of our troubles?

First is that God restrains His providential care when He remains quiet for reasons of His resentment to an abomination.

Second is ability to remain quiet to achieve a divine purpose.

We will look at the first today.

God's presence is expressed as God's unique ability as omnipresent but He may not be actively involved when there is sin (abomination).

Prov 15:29 says *The LORD is far from the wicked: but he heareth the prayer of the righteous.*

John 9:31 says *Now we know that God heareth not sinners: but if any man be a worshipper of God, and doeth his will, him he heareth.*

We are quick to judge God, who is our righteous God.

We often judge God's presence in our times of trouble when we do not see Him at work forgetting that God's presence is not the same as God doing something or not in our distress.

We must know that anytime God is not actively involved in our time of trouble should tell us that something is not right.

Something is not right, not with God, but with us.

Is God a very present help in your times of trouble?

*Remorse corner.*

Though God is ever present, but He reserves the choice to restrain His active intervention.

*Call to Word action.*

God is ever present in our troubles but sin can drive His intervention away.

*The Christian clarion duty.*

The more there is sin, the less or none of God's presence.

*Prayer.*

Lord, let me not drive Your presence away from my life, in Jesus name.

Good morning and be blessed as you come into His presence.

God bless you.

Shalom.