God's Presence

Looking at the Bible as a journey from the garden in Genesis 2 to the city of the New Jerusalem in Revelation 21 is a fascinating way to think of the Bible. The garden and the city both represent high points of mankind’s relationship with God. Everything in-between pales in comparison. I love the unfolding and expanding presence of God with mankind when you look at the big picture of history seen in the Bible.

Of course the Bible is about individuals, nations, wars, poetry, kings, prophets, mistakes, successes, wisdom, stupidity and so on. But from a broader perspective we see the increasing presence of God with mankind. There are ups and downs, high- and low-points in the story, but the general direction is God’s increasing closeness. And it’s something that should really excite us.

We leave the book of Exodus as God’s presence fills the Tabernacle. Israel become a nation distinguished by God’s presence inhabiting this mobile temple that stands in the centre of their camp. God is with them! It still doesn’t match the closeness of relationship that mankind enjoyed in the garden or what we will enjoy in the New Jerusalem, but it is a significant landmark.

As we hit the fast-forward button through 4,000-odd years of history we skip through the chapter marks. Highs and lows, good-times and bad. Then God’s presence fills the temple, an awesome display that prevents the priests from performing their rituals. More ups and downs over a long period that seems like a dark-age. Suddenly the next chapter. A baby is born under unusual circumstances, grows up noticeably different and then starts a public ministry like nothing seen before. It’s a slow realisation for those there at the time, but eventually they realise this is God’s presence in flesh and blood, walking with them, talking with them, eating, working, sleeping, relating, crying, laughing, dying.

Fast-forward while disciples wonder what on earth is going on – hitting the depths of despair as everything they hoped for seems to have been in vain. And then, early one morning, tongues of fire disrupt their get together and they spill onto the street to be jeered as drunkards. Pentecost! Again God’s presence is with mankind – but now actually with man, living inside their heart, energising them, inspiring them, empowering, emboldening, bring a deposit of the abundant life we were created to live.

Skip forward and these disciples, and the disciples of these disciples, scatter across the whole earth, sharing this good news that God is with mankind – actually with mankind. It starts a revolution, it turns the world on its head. God’s presence not limited to a few select people, to a limited geographic location. God’s presence everywhere, with all sorts of people!

This is the world where we live. A world saturated with God’s presence, yet with so much left to do. Our privilege of knowing God’s presence is also our responsibility to work to spread this good news.

This is a long preamble to my point (sorry – I get quite excited about this!) When I talk to people about God and why I believe I find I always approach it from a certain way – I talk about why I believe, the sense of it, and what it means to me. If the whole point is God’s presence, maybe this should be more important in helping people find God than my arguments and advice. I seem to fall into the trap of trying to do God’s job for him. I set myself up as “God Promotions Inc.” and handle the marketing of the supreme deity to the mass markets. “Become a Christian, you’ll like it lots!” I say, “God is really wonderful, take my word for it – you can trust me!”

Paul says (in Acts 17:27) “God did this so that men would seek him and perhaps reach out for him and find him, though he is not far from each one of us.”

I want to let God be God. If people want to find God I’m happy to answer their questions, because I had questions myself and I found other people’s answers really helpful. I can offer advice because perhaps they, like me, have no idea of how this faith-journey works. But if they want to find God – really there’s nothing I can do. “God is not far from each of us” and his desire is that we find him. My arguments need to finish with “Give it a go! Ask God to be with you, to help you find him… see what happens. It’s up to you.”

God spoke the universe into being, he has been present with mankind since the beginning and he offers a cast-iron promise of his presence with us in the end. He certainly doesn’t need my help in being present with people.