Several months ago I sat in the dining room in the house of my mentor and godly inspiration, Mrs. Kathy. As I sat across the table from her, eagerly awaiting Holy Spirit guided words of wisdom and inspiration, she poured into my mind a concept I had never really contemplated: God’s omnipresence. 

When I was a little girl in church I would often hear people speaking of how God is omnipotent, omniscient, and omnipresent, so I had a pretty basic understanding of these concepts. However, I had never dwelled on them or allowed God to open my mind to a deeper understanding of what they meant. 

In Mrs. Kathy’s dining room, I learned that God exists simultaneously in the Garden of Eden, in the Old Testament, with Jesus during His life on earth, here with me now, and in the future in victory over the enemy. Think about that. God is not limited by time like we are. Right now, He exists in all of those places and times. How amazing is that? That fact completely blew my mind. 

So what does this mean for us? For one, it should comfort us, knowing that God is equally omniscient, or all-knowing, so He knows how everything is going to turn out, just as He exists everywhere and at all times. Pause and dwell on that. God knew where you were, knows where you are now, and also knows where you are going to end up and what it’s going to take to get you there. How comforting is that? He knew about your sin, and He still determined that you were (and are) worth Jesus. That’s a pretty big sacrifice; that’s a pretty big love. Romans 5:8 reads it this way: “But God shows and clearly proves His love for us by the fact that while we were still sinners, Christ died for us.”

Think about the Old Testament account of Jacob’s life. This is the Jacob who manipulated his twin Esau’s exhaustion and coaxed him into selling his birthright (Genesis 25:29-34), and then later disguised himself as his brother in order to steal Esau’s blessing from their father (Genesis 27). Jacob was a selfish and deceptive liar who didn’t mind usurping his own brother for personal gain. Despite all of this, though, God chose to use Jacob to establish His chosen nation. Later on during his journey Jacob wrestled with God (Genesis 32:22-32) and earned a new name: Israel. This name memorialized all that God’s chosen nation (the 12 tribes of Israel which originated from Jacob’s 12 sons) would become: a people who wrestled with God.

God knew that Jacob was going to be deceptive. God knew that he was also going to be stubborn and strong-willed, which resulted in Jacob persistently wrestling with God until He blessed him. God knew and used Jacob’s weaknesses and struggles to bring about a selected people group for Himself. How encouraging is it that our holy and sovereign Father knows our weaknesses and struggles, and not only loves us, but uses us for His glory anyway? 

Think of it this way: when God looked at Jacob, He saw Israel. 

So when God looks at you, His omnipresence and omniscience allows Him to see who He made you to be. 

Take comfort in that. If you have fallen away from the Lord, don’t wallow in self-pity and condemnation. Romans 8:1 tells us, “There is therefore now no condemnation to them which are in Christ Jesus, who walk not after the flesh, but after the Spirit.” Brush off that condemnation, fight the enemy by reminding him of the Truth, and run back into the arms of your Heavenly Father. I once read a quote online that says regardless of how many steps you take away from God, all it takes it one to get back to Him.

My heart swells with gratitude when I look back and see where God has brought me from. He is worth so much praise! He saw me living in sin as a junior in high school, but He did not leave me there. He watched as I turned my back on Him for a season as a senior in college. He has been ever-present when my heart has bowed down to numerous idols throughout the years. Yet each time He has remained faithful in love, His arms open and waiting for me to return. Granted, each time my sin has had consequences I’ve had to deal with, but God’s grace is sufficient, and all of it works together to build a testimony that I can share with the world that magnifies God’s greatness. There are lyrics to a song that deeply ministers to me at the bottom of this post that express God’s desire for His children to run to Him instead of hiding from Him when they have lost their way. Feel free to meditate on those lyrics today, or share them with a friend who may mistakenly think they need to get right before coming to Him. His arms are open for them right now. 

I write this blog to you from Flushing, New York, where I am serving with Street Life Ministries for the summer. It is such a blessing to think that despite my uncleanness, God still works in and through me for His kingdom. This summer is set aside to press into deeper intimacy with Him, to be His hands and feet, and to obey the Great Commission. I plan to write occasional updates about some of the amazing things our great God does over the next two months, so stay tuned! 

If you would like to be a part of what God is doing through this ministry, please join us in prayer! Sunday (June 26) we will be spreading God’s love in an outreach related to the LGBT Pride March, and Tuesday (June 28) we will be headed to Belo Horizonte, Brazil for an array of outreach and ministry opportunities. We covet your prayers and are looking forward to seeing all that God will do for His name’s sake. 

If you feel like (or think) someone you know will want to stay posted about all of these events, or if someone you know might be blessed by this post, feel free to share it on social media! Just a reminder, I will not be getting on social media personally until the end of August so I can better focus on what God is doing here. Grace and peace to you all!

______________________________

Come out of hiding, you’re safe here with Me | There’s no need to cover what I already see | You’ve got your reasons but I hold your peace | You’ve been on lockdown and I hold the key
‘Cause I loved you before you knew it was love | And I saw it all, still I chose the cross | And you were the one that I was thinking of when I rose from the grave

Now rid of the shackles, My victory’s yours | I tore the veil for you to come close | There’s no reason to stand at a distance anymore | You’re not far from home

I’ll be your lighthouse when you’re lost at sea | And I will illuminate everything | No need to be frightened by intimacy | No, just throw off your fear and come running to Me

And oh as you run, what hindered love will only become part of the story

Baby, you’re almost home now | Please don’t quit now | You’re almost home to Me

– “Out of Hiding” by Steffany Gretzinger