The Truth is God is Nearer Than You Think

“Where shall I go from your Spirit?
Or where shall I flee from your presence?
If I ascend to heaven, you are there!
If I make my bed in Sheol, you are there!”
(Psalm 139:7–8, ESV)

We live in a culture of distance.

We move away from family for jobs. We scroll through curated lives on screens instead of sharing meals face-to-face. We feel more connected than ever—yet more alone.

Even in our relationship with God, we can feel the distance:

• He seems silent when we pray.
• He feels absent when we suffer.
• He appears distant when we fail.

But the Bible tells a radically different story.

From Genesis to Revelation, Scripture declares that God is not a distant deity observing from afar. He is Immanuel—God with us.

“The LORD is near to all who call on him,
to all who call on him in truth.”
(Psalm 145:18, ESV)

A.W. Tozer wrote:

“We pursue God because, and only because, He has first put an urge within us that spurs us to the pursuit.
The impulse to pursue God originates with God, but the outworking of that impulse is our following hard after Him.”
— A.W. Tozer, The Pursuit of God

God is not hiding from you. He is present, near, and pursuing you even now.

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1. The God You Cannot Escape: Psalm 139 and God’s Omnipresence

David writes one of the most beautiful meditations on God’s nearness in Psalm 139:

“O LORD, you have searched me and known me!
You know when I sit down and when I rise up;
you discern my thoughts from afar.
You search out my path and my lying down
and are acquainted with all my ways.
Even before a word is on my tongue,
behold, O LORD, you know it altogether.”
(Psalm 139:1–4, ESV)

God knows you completely:

• Your actions (sitting, rising, walking).
• Your thoughts (even before you speak them).
• Your ways (your habits, patterns, struggles).

And then David asks:

“Where shall I go from your Spirit?
Or where shall I flee from your presence?
If I ascend to heaven, you are there!
If I make my bed in Sheol, you are there!
If I take the wings of the morning
and dwell in the uttermost parts of the sea,
even there your hand shall lead me,
and your right hand shall hold me.“
(Psalm 139:7–10, ESV)

Notice: David is not trying to escape God in terror. He is marveling at the reality that there is nowhere God is not.

• In the highest heights—God is there.
• In the deepest depths—God is there.
• In the farthest reaches—God is there.

This is omnipresence: God is fully present everywhere, all the time.

But this is not merely a doctrine to believe. It is a comfort to cling to.

For the Suffering

When you feel abandoned in your pain, God is there.

“The LORD is near to the brokenhearted
and saves the crushed in spirit.”
(Psalm 34:18, ESV)

For the Ashamed

When you want to hide from God because of your sin, He is already there—not to condemn, but to restore.

“If we confess our sins, he is faithful and just to forgive us our sins
and to cleanse us from all unrighteousness.”
(1 John 1:9, ESV)

For the Lonely

When you feel isolated and forgotten, God is with you.

“Fear not, for I am with you;
be not dismayed, for I am your God;
I will strengthen you, I will help you,
I will uphold you with my righteous right hand.”
(Isaiah 41:10, ESV)

You are never alone.

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2. From Distant to Dwelling: “The Word Became Flesh” (John 1:14)

God’s nearness reaches its ultimate expression in the Incarnation.

“And the Word became flesh and dwelt among us,
and we have seen his glory,
glory as of the only Son from the Father,
full of grace and truth.”
(John 1:14, ESV)

The eternal, almighty, infinite God did not remain distant. He became flesh.

• He took on human nature.
• He entered our world.
• He walked our streets.
• He felt our pain.
• He bore our sin.

The word “dwelt” literally means “tabernacled” or “pitched His tent” among us. It echoes the Old Testament tabernacle, where God’s presence dwelled with Israel in the wilderness.

But now, God’s presence is not confined to a tent or temple. He has come in person.

Jesus: God Near in the Flesh

Jesus didn’t just visit earth—He lived here:

• He was born in poverty.
• He experienced hunger, thirst, and exhaustion.
• He was tempted in every way we are (Hebrews 4:15).
• He was rejected, betrayed, and abandoned.
• He suffered and died.

Why?

So that we could know God is not distant. He understands. He has been here. He knows what it’s like to be human.

“For we do not have a high priest who is unable to sympathize with our weaknesses,
but one who in every respect has been tempted as we are, yet without sin.”
(Hebrews 4:15, ESV)

Jesus is not a God who looks down from heaven with detached pity. He is a God who came down, walked in our shoes, and now intercedes for us.

John Stott writes:

“The incarnation is a demonstration, the most dramatic demonstration possible,
that God is concerned for the predicament of man.”
— John Stott, Basic Christianity

God came near. And He has never left.

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3. Always, to the End of the Age: Jesus’ Promise (Matthew 28:20)

Before Jesus ascended to heaven, He gave His disciples—and us—a promise:

“And behold, I am with you always, to the end of the age.“
(Matthew 28:20, ESV)

This is not:

• “I will be with you sometimes.”
• “I will be with you when you’re faithful.”
• “I will be with you if you remember Me.”

It’s “I am with you always.”

“Always” Means Always

• In your highest moments and your lowest valleys.
• In your greatest victories and your deepest failures.
• In your brightest joys and your darkest sorrows.
• When you feel His presence and when you don’t.

Jesus’ presence does not depend on your feelings. It depends on His promise.

And Jesus always keeps His word.

To the End of the Age

This promise extends:

• Through every season of your life.
• Through every trial, temptation, and triumph.
• All the way to the end—when you see Him face to face.

“For I am sure that neither death nor life, nor angels nor rulers,
nor things present nor things to come, nor powers,
nor height nor depth, nor anything else in all creation,
will be able to separate us from the love of God in Christ Jesus our Lord.”
(Romans 8:38–39, ESV)

Nothing—absolutely nothing—can separate you from the presence of Christ.

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4. Near in Our Weakness: God’s Presence in Fear, Failure, and Loneliness

God’s nearness is not just for the spiritually strong. It is especially for the weak, the broken, and the struggling.

a) Near in Fear

“Even though I walk through the valley of the shadow of death,
I will fear no evil,
for you are with me;
your rod and your staff,
they comfort me.”
(Psalm 23:4, ESV)

When you walk through dark valleys—illness, loss, uncertainty—God is with you.

His presence does not always remove the valley, but it changes how you walk through it.

b) Near in Failure

When you fail—again—God does not withdraw.

“The steps of a man are established by the LORD,
when he delights in his way;
though he fall, he shall not be cast headlong,
for the LORD upholds his hand.“
(Psalm 37:23–24, ESV)

God does not abandon you when you stumble. He holds your hand and lifts you up.

c) Near in Loneliness

Loneliness is one of the deepest aches of the human heart. But even in loneliness, you are not alone.

“Turn to me and be gracious to me,
for I am lonely and afflicted.“
(Psalm 25:16, ESV)

God sees your loneliness. He does not despise it or dismiss it. He meets you in it.

Dietrich Bonhoeffer, writing from a Nazi prison, said:

“God is not far off, but is with us in the midst of our distress.”
— Dietrich Bonhoeffer

Even in the darkest, loneliest places, God is near.

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5. Practicing the Presence of God: Scripture, Prayer, and Awareness

God is always present. But we are not always aware of His presence.

How do we cultivate awareness of God’s nearness?

a) Immerse Yourself in Scripture

God speaks to us through His Word. The more we read, meditate, and memorize Scripture, the more we become attuned to His voice.

“Your word is a lamp to my feet
and a light to my path.”
(Psalm 119:105, ESV)

b) Pray Without Ceasing

Paul exhorts:

“Rejoice always, pray without ceasing, give thanks in all circumstances;
for this is the will of God in Christ Jesus for you.”
(1 Thessalonians 5:16–18, ESV)

Prayer is not just a morning ritual. It is an ongoing conversation with God throughout the day.

Talk to Him:

• When you wake up.
• When you’re stuck in traffic.
• When you’re stressed at work.
• When you’re celebrating a win.
• When you’re grieving a loss.

Prayer is simply talking to the God who is already with you.

c) Practice Mindfulness of God’s Presence

Brother Lawrence, a 17th-century monk, called this “practicing the presence of God.” He wrote:

“The time of business does not with me differ from the time of prayer,
and in the noise and clatter of my kitchen, while several persons are at the same time calling for different things,
I possess God in as great tranquility as if I were upon my knees.”
— Brother Lawrence, The Practice of the Presence of God

Throughout your day, pause and remind yourself:

• “God is here.”
• “God sees me.”
• “God is with me.”

This simple practice can transform ordinary moments into sacred encounters.

d) Worship in Community

God is present not only in private prayer but also when His people gather:

“For where two or three are gathered in my name, there am I among them.“
(Matthew 18:20, ESV)

Don’t neglect corporate worship. God meets His people in powerful ways when we gather to sing, pray, and hear His Word together.

e) Look for God in the Ordinary

God’s presence is not confined to “spiritual” activities. He is present:

• In the beauty of creation.
• In the laughter of a child.
• In the kindness of a stranger.
• In the quiet of the morning.
• In the embrace of a friend.

“The heavens declare the glory of God,
and the sky above proclaims his handiwork.”
(Psalm 19:1, ESV)

Train your eyes to see God in the everyday moments of life.

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Recommended Books on God’s Presence

1. Brother Lawrence – The Practice of the Presence of God
   A short, timeless classic on cultivating awareness of God’s presence in daily life.
2. A.W. Tozer – The Pursuit of God
   A profound, accessible meditation on seeking and experiencing God’s nearness.
3. J.I. Packer – Knowing God
   Includes rich chapters on God’s presence and nearness—deeply pastoral and biblical.
4. David G. Benner – The Gift of Being Yourself: The Sacred Call to Self-Discovery
   Explores how knowing God’s presence transforms our understanding of ourselves.
5. Timothy Keller – Prayer: Experiencing Awe and Intimacy with God
   A comprehensive, practical guide to deepening your awareness of God through prayer.

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A Hymn of God’s Nearness

Let these words remind you of the God who is always near:

Be Thou My Vision (selected verses)

Be Thou my vision, O Lord of my heart;
Naught be all else to me, save that Thou art—
Thou my best thought, by day or by night,
Waking or sleeping, Thy presence my light.

Riches I heed not, nor man’s empty praise,
Thou mine inheritance, now and always:
Thou and Thou only, first in my heart,
High King of heaven, my treasure Thou art.

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Beloved, the God you serve is not distant or detached. He is near—closer than your breath, present in every moment, walking with you through every season. You are never alone. Open your eyes to see Him. Open your heart to receive Him. He is here.