The Presence of God O Lord, Thou hast searched me and known me. Thou knowest my down-sitting and mine uprising; Thou understandest my thought afar off. Thou compassest my path and my lying down, and art acquainted with all my ways. For there is not a word in my tongue, but, lo, O Lord, Thou knowest it altogether. How precious also are Thy thoughts unto me, O God! how great is the sum of them! If I should count them, they are more in number than the sand when I awake, I am still with Thee.— PSALM CXXXix. EVERYWHERE present is God; in Him we live, and move, and have our being. All our actions, and even all our thoughts, are manifest in His sight. How should this truth,-the omnipresence of God,-influence me? 1. To realize that I am always in God's 120 The Presence of God. presence is to strive against sin. Every evil deed must be done before the All-holy One. To believe this is to be afraid of doing evil. Not always am I to be bearing in mind that God is watching me; but, as a child in the same room with father or mother, remembers that he is not alone, as soon as ever he is tempted to do evil; so may I remember, the very moment of temptation, that I am in the awful Presence! Thou, God, seest me. 2. To cherish a sense of God's presence is to increase in holiness. The holy and loving Friend is near me ;' so, in the companionship of Jesus during this sickness, I may become more holy and loving. The closer the tie between my soul and His Spirit, the liker to Him I am :—meek, lowly, gentle, true. Out of despondency into confidence; out of fears into joy and peace; more and more, day by day, while I realize the abiding presence of the Lord Jesus. 3. Really to feel that God is ever near is to enjoy the assurance of hope. No man The Presence of God. 121 can have a strong, settled faith, who does not think much of God's presence. He whose life is altogether in the outward and visible, who never seeks to be alone with God, cannot have true faith. I know that such a one is sure to deem things not seen imaginary and unreal. But to feel that we live in God's presence, is to feel the realities of "faith." We ourselves are never so real, never so free from the pretence and make-believes of the world, as when we are alone under the Eye that seeth in secret. And so to feel that our life is hid with Christ in God; to enjoy a sense of His presence "every passing hour;" to lean on Him, and know Him by experience, as a Guide and a Stay; this is to believe warmly, firmly, and in the full assurance of hope. 4. To be able to say,-In every state shall Thy hand lead me, and Thy right hand shall hold me, is trustfully to follow all the leadings of the Father's will. This is patience this is holy confidence during sorrow and sickness,-"God is with me." The foolish of the world may point to my many trials and say,—Where is thy God? But I will call my sick-room "Bethel,”—the house of God; for I know that the Lord is with me. How precious are Thy thoughts unto me, O God! Thou compassest my lying down : when I awake, I am still with Thee. Weary and restless through pain; tempted to distrust or murmur: still with God! Laying myself down at even-tide; sad and timid in the watches of the night: still with God! Frail, helpless, unable to be doing; a burden to others still with God! Breathing on a dying bed the Nunc Dimittis: still, and for ever, with God! PRAYER. SEARCH me, O God, and know my heart : try me, and know my thoughts; and see if there be any wicked way in me : and lead me in the way everlasting. Hymn. Thou art near.-Yes, LORD, I feel it,- And, though sense would fain conceal it, Am I weak? Thine arm will lead me Am I thirsty? Thou wilt guide me Am I fearful? Thou wilt take me Am I drooping? Thou art near me,- Am I pleading? Thou wilt hear me,— pray. 123 Then, O my soul, since GoD doth love thee, Faint not, droop not, do not fear; For though His heaven is high above thee, He Himself is ever near! |