Ever Present

"...and he said, Thus shalt thou say unto the children of Israel, I AM hath sent me unto you.  Exodus 3:14

Throughout the Bible are scattered different facets that fit together to show us who God is.  As Moses kneels before the burning bush, hearing the voice of God sending him back to his people, he begins to learn another lesson about who God is.
As God commissions Moses to go, he fits him with the promise of "...Certainly I will be with thee..." (v.12)   Moses asks God for His name to share with the people, God gives His name as I AM.  At first glance, we might think, 'how strange.'  Yet God knows what we need, and that is what He gives.  For the name I AM gives to us a continual promise of His Presence.  It's not I WAS, but I AM.  God is ever present.  I AM here now.  In every moment God is there.  God knew that His name of I AM would reinforce the promise of .."Certainly I will be with thee..."   God was there as Moses left the Mount of God and went back to Egypt.  God was there when Pharoah refused to let the people go.  God was still in those moments when the burden of work become greater and the lash of the whip became more fierce.  God was in each moment. Though the way became dark, God was there.  Through the plagues God was faithful.  It was God that was able to lead them out of Egypt though the Pharoah declared it was not to be.  It was God that rolled back the waters of the Red Sea, when there was no way through.  As each moment was given, God was in that moment.  He was enough when there was no water, nor food.   Through His miracle-working power, God supplied them with the needed sustenance.  When the Israelites were camped at the foot of Mount Sinai, God again assured Moses of His presence.  :And He said, My presence shall go with  thee, and I will give thee rest." ( Exodus 34:14)  It took the Israelites many years to realize that God was in each moment.  That He was a God that could be trusted. 

In our every day moments God wants to become a "realized presence" in our lives.  Throughout the Bible, God shows us over and over again that His presence is what brings joy and peace. When the sky is radiant above us, the birds are singing around us and the earth is bursting with promise of new birth it is easy to realize that God is in that moment. When life is great we praise and thank God for the blessings; for those wonderful moments He has given us.   Yet God wants us to recognize the fact that He is in all our moments.  When trouble lurks on the horizon and we feel the winds of trouble begining to blow are we able to say that God is in that moment?  He is.  For He is I AM.  How do we find the way into recognizing the very presence of God in those dark moments of our lives?    As I was thinking of this, Psalm 16:11 came to mind,  '...In thy presence is fulness of joy..."  God is with us every moment-we are in His presence, consequently we should be full of joy each moment.  Many times that is just not the case in our lives.  We ask "what is wrong?  where is the joy that we are promised in His presence?"  Other verses give us insight into some of our questions. Psalm 100:2 & 4 "Serve the Lord with gladness: come before His presence with singing.  Enter into his gates with thanksgiving, and into his courts with praise: be thankful unto Him, and bless His name."  When we want to realize His presence each moment, we must enter those gates with thanksgiving and praise.  It is when we live with a thankful heart for what He gives, that the moments are crowned with His presence. 

It sounds so good in words, but the test comes in real life.  If we have fallen into an ungrateful attitude, it will be hard work to change that habit.  Thanksgiving will come with practice, recognition of His presence in the moment will follow, as we learn to accept the fact that each moment, whether good or bad, is given to us out of the Father-heart of God that is full of love and care for each of us.   We might fall over and over again, yet God will be there to help us up, and fill the moment with the grace of His forgiveness.  He will be there to give us the strength to go on. To go on learning to recognize that each moment of our lives is filled with the very Presence of our gracious and loving God.