Experience the Presence of God: Be Aware

Jeremiah 23:24CloseJeremiah 23:24 Can anyone hide from me in a secret place?  Am I not everywhere in all the heavens and earth?"  says the LORD. OPEN VERSE IN BIBLE (nlt) (New Living Translation)
Can anyone hide from me? Am I not everywhere in all the heavens and earth?" asks the LORD.

This verse applies no matter who you are. Like Adam and Eve, some people may try to hide from God¹², but to no avail. He is always there, wherever you are. We are always ‘in’ His presence. Here in Jeremiah, the nature of His presence is not manifestational, as it was over the Mercy Seat; rather, it is a universal presence that enables the Creator to always be with His creation.

As believers, we can appropriate this step by maintaining a conscious awareness that His presence is ‘ever present’ with us. When we are at home, when we are at the store, when we are in the car - wherever we are, so is He.

A conscious, daily pondering of this truth will prove to be of great comfort to us when we have struggles in life. It will also help us to elevate our minds from this earthly plane to His heavenly realm: "If then you were raised with Christ, seek those things which are above, where Christ is, sitting at the right hand of God. Set your mind on things above, not on things on the earth" (Colossians 3:1-2CloseColossians 3:1-2 Since you have been raised to new life with Christ, set your sights on the realities of heaven, where Christ sits in the place of honor at God's right hand. Think about the things of heaven, not the things of earth. OPEN VERSE IN BIBLE (nlt) ).

In addition to God’s presence being universal, He also indwells believers.

1 Corinthians 3:16Close1 Corinthians 3:16 Don't you realize that all of you together are the temple of God and that the Spirit of God lives in* you? OPEN VERSE IN BIBLE (nlt)
Do you not know that you are the temple of God and that the Spirit of God dwells in you?

What an astounding thing - that God Himself has chosen to dwell in us, His adopted children!¹³ We are never alone. He is with us through joy and pain, in blessing and heartache, while we are awake and while we are asleep. Always. He is closer than our very breath. In fact, “In Him we live and move and have our being” (Acts 17:28CloseActs 17:28 For in him we live and move and exist. As some of your* own poets have said, `We are his offspring.' OPEN VERSE IN BIBLE (nlt) ).

¹²Genesis 3:8CloseGenesis 3:8 When the cool evening breezes were blowing, the man* and his wife heard the LORD God walking about in the garden. So they hid from the LORD God among the trees. OPEN VERSE IN BIBLE (nlt)

¹³Romans 8:9-16CloseRomans 8:9-16 But you are not controlled by your sinful nature. You are controlled by the Spirit if you have the Spirit of God living in you. (And remember that those who do not have the Spirit of Christ living in them do not belong to him at all.) And Christ lives within you, so even though your body will die because of sin, the Spirit gives you life* because you have been made right with God. The Spirit of God, who raised Jesus from the dead, lives in you. And just as God raised Christ Jesus from the dead, he will give life to your mortal bodies by this same Spirit living within you. Therefore, dear brothers and sisters,* you have no obligation to do what your sinful nature urges you to do. For if you live by its dictates, you will die. But if through the power of the Spirit you put to death the deeds of your sinful nature,* you will live. For all who are led by the Spirit of God are children* of God. So you have not received a spirit that makes you fearful slaves. Instead, you received God's Spirit when he adopted you as his own children.* Now we call him, "Abba, Father."* For his Spirit joins with our spirit to affirm that we are God's children. OPEN VERSE IN BIBLE (nlt)