THE COST OF DISCIPLESHIP - JEHOVAH - SHAMMAH, THE GOD WHO IS THERE

October 15, 2013 “I am with you all the days, perpetually, uniformly, and on every occasion, to the very close and consummation of the age.” (Matt.28:20 Amp.) “It is the Lord Who goes before you; He will march with you; He will not fail you or let you go or forsake you; but fear not, neither become depressed, dismayed and unnerved with alarm.” (Duet.31:8 Amp.) Throughout the Bible God proclaims His constant presence with us – Jehovah Shammah, “The God Who is there.” In Psalms 139:7-18, we are told He has been with us since before we were born and then throughout our life. This Psalm tells us that Jehovah Shammah will be with us if we ascend into the heaven; or if we make our bed in Sheol (the place of the dead); or if we take the wings of the morning or dwell in the uttermost parts of the sea. Even there Jehovah’s hand will lead us, and His right hand shall hold us. If we say, Surely the darkness shall cover me and the night shall be the only light about me, even the darkness hides nothing from You, but the night shines as the day; the darkness and the light are both alike to Him. Our frames were not hidden from Him when we were being formed in secret in the depths of the earth. He did form us in our mothers’ wombs. His eyes saw our unformed substance, and all the days of our lives are written before ever they took shape, when as yet there was none of them. Even as Psalm 23:4 puts it, “through the valley of the shadow of death,” the ‘Shepherd’ will go with us. If we stay close to Him, He will be with us and protects us in all our troubles (Psalm 91). Hebrew 13:5 tells us that Jehovah-Shammah will never, no never, no never forsake us, and in good times and bad His love will comfort our pain and soothe our weariness. Even as Adam and Eve tried to hide from God but could not (Gen.3:8), even so we cannot hide from Him (Jer.23:24). Jonah tried to flee from the presence of God but to no avail (Jonah 1). He sees all (Jer.32:18) and knows all (Psalm 139:1-18). Even His thoughts are ever toward us (Ps.139:17-18). Jesus promised to be with us to the end of the world (Matt.28:20), and if we have a right relationship with Him we will have the fullness of joy in His presence (Psalm 16:11), but if we don’t, we will try to get away from His presence through drugs, alcohol, sexual relations, completely absorbing ourselves in our job and anything and everything we think will remove us from God’s presence but nothing will remove us from His love (Rom. 8:38-39) – His presence is His love – His love is always with us. The only peace and answers we will find are in His presence, so don’t run away but run to Him. He has been there all the time, and will be there forever! In The Presence of Jehovah (by Damis Carbaugh) In and out of situations that tug of war at me, All day long I struggle for the answers that I need. But when I come into His presence, All my questions become clear. And in that sacred moment, No doubts can interfere. In the presence of Jehovah, God Almighty, Prince of Peace. Troubles vanish, hearts are mended, In the presence of the King. Through His love the Lord provided, a place for us to rest, A place to find the answers in our hour of distress. Now there's never any reason For you to give up in despair Just slip away and breathe His name, you will surely find Him there. In the presence of Jehovah, God Almighty, Prince of Peace. Troubles vanish, hearts are mended, In the presence of the King.