Presence of the Lord

Today’s Verse:

Tremble, thou earth, at the presence of the Lord, at the presence of the God of Jacob; ~Psalm 114:7

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The words “tremble” and “trembling” are found 78 times in the English King James Version of the Bible. These words mean to be moved with awe, respect, and fear. They mean to shake and shiver within. When we are very cold or our body temperature drops below normal, we tend to shiver. When we have been terribly frightened or traumatized by a serious event, we might shake or tremble. God commands the earth and His people to tremble at His presence. This morning, let us consider the presence of the Lord and our response to it.

We see the guidance.

“When Israel went out of Egypt, the house of Jacob from a people of strange language.” The presence of the Lord was evidenced by the pillar of cloud by day to lead Israel in the way and by a pillar of fire by night to give them light. His presence led them out of Egypt, through the wilderness, and into the land of promise. God, in His presence, gives guidance to His people. His presence guides us into all truth. His presence is our seeing eye that instructs and teaches us in the way in which we should go. He never leaves us nor forsakes us when it comes to His presence. Even when we are in the valley of the shadow of death, God is with us.

We see the gathering.

“Judah was his sanctuary, and Israel his dominion.” God’s presence is in the midst of His people when they assemble together. “For where two or three are gathered together in my name, there am I in the midst of them” (Matthew 18:20). The assembly of God’s people testifies of their submission to His presence. It also testifies of the purpose of their assembly, which is for the worship of God. Visitors to a church and the unsaved who are in its midst should acknowledge that God’s presence is visibly felt and at work.

We see the greatness.

“The sea saw it, and fled: Jordan was driven back. The mountains skipped like rams, and the little hills like lambs. What ailed thee, O thou sea, that thou fleddest? thou Jordan, that thou wast driven back?” The presence of God parted the Red Sea and the Jordan River. The presence of God makes the mountains and hills pale in comparison in size and strength. Where the presence of God is, there is the power of God. Conversely, an absence of power indicates an absence of God’s presence. Oh, how we need His presence if we want His power to work through us.

We see the glory.

“Tremble, thou earth, at the presence of the Lord, at the presence of the God of Jacob.” All of creation is beckoned to tremble at the presence of God. In other words, all of creation is called to acknowledge God’s presence through a proper worship. God is to be glorified in His saints. God is to be called upon in corporate prayer meetings. God is to be lifted up and glorified through congregational singing. The continuous salvation of sinners indicates the hand of the Lord and His presence on the soulwinning efforts of a church. Let us be filled with awe at how insignificant and helpless we are without the presence of God. Let us work out our own salvation with fear and trembling. Let us serve the Lord with fear and trembling.

Let us be mindful and conscious of God’s presence in our life, family, and church.

Have a holy God Morning!

Bible Reading Schedule: Job 24-28

#God039sPresence #Psalm