God Is There 上帝就在你身边

[Dexu Xia]

If I go up to the heavens, you are there; if I make my bed in the depths, you are there. Psalm 139:8

Today's Scripture  Psalm 139:7-12

Today's Insights  It’s impossible for us to fathom the scope of God’s all-seeing eye and the inescapability of His presence, but David attempts to do just that. Set in four stanzas, his song begins with his acknowledgment of just how intimately God knows him: “you are familiar with all my ways” (Psalm 139:3). He starts the next section with parallel rhetorical questions: “Where can I go from your Spirit? Where can I flee from your presence?” (v. 7). The farthest reaches of space won’t permit us to hide from this God, nor will death itself. This is the implication of David’s reference to “the depths” in verse 8. The psalmist even praises how God knew him when He “knit [him] together in [his] mother’s womb” (v. 13). Such a pervasive presence might well intimidate us if not for the fact that this is our all-wise, omnipresent, all-seeing, and perfectly loving God

 Today's Devotional  When my grandmother was gently informed that my grandpa would likely pass away in the next few days, we were concerned that she’d be upset and anxious. “Are you worried?” someone asked her, thinking that she might have questions about her husband’s physical condition or need help for her own needs. She thought for a moment. “No,” she calmly answered, “I know where he’s going. God is there with him.”

Her expression of God’s presence with her husband echoes a similar one in Psalm 139, made by the psalmist David: “If I go up to the heavens, you are there; if I make my bed in the depths, you are there” (v. 8).

Although the certainty of God’s presence described in Psalm 139 carries a subtle warning that we can’t escape His Spirit no matter where we go, it also brings great comfort to those who love Him and desire the assurance of His presence: “Where can I go from your Spirit? Where can I flee from your presence” (v. 7). As God’s redeemed people, we can be consoled that no matter where we are, He’s there guiding us and holding us in His hands (v. 10).  When we go through tough, worrisome situations and don’t feel that God is with us, we can be assured that He’s present with all those whom He loves and who love Him. May this knowledge of His certain presence bring us the comfort and hope we need today.

Reflect & Pray

What worries you most today? How does knowing the certainty of God’s presence help you? God calls us to rest in Him.

Dear God, when I’m worried, please help me to know that my life is in Your hands.

by Jamine Goh

“我若升上天，你在那里；我若在阴间下榻，你也在那里。”(诗篇 139:8 )

今日经文：诗篇 139篇7-12 节

今日心得： 我们无法测度上帝无所不见的眼目，也无法逃避祂的同在，但大卫却在试图描述这一点。这首诗共四节，开头他承认上帝对他的了解有多么深刻：“祢深知我一切所行的”（诗篇 139:3）。下一段他以类似的反问句开始：“我往哪里去躲避你的灵？我往哪里去躲避你的面？”（诗篇 139:7）。即使是宇宙最遥远的地方，也无法让我们躲避这位上帝，死亡本身也一样。这就是大卫在第8节中提到“深渊”的含义。诗人甚至赞美上帝在“他在母腹中覆庇他”（13节）时就认识他。若非这是一位全知、无所不在、洞悉一切、全然慈爱的上帝，如此无处不在的存在或许会让我们感到恐惧。

今日灵修：当我祖母得知祖父可能在几天内去世时，我们担心她会感到不安和焦虑。有人问她：“你担心吗？”她心想，她可能对丈夫的身体状况有所疑问，或者需要帮助。她想了一会儿。“不，”她平静地回答，“我知道他要去哪里。上帝与他同在。” 她表达上帝与丈夫同在的方式，与诗篇139篇中大卫的类似描述相呼应：“我若升到天上，你在那里；我若在阴间下榻，你也在那里”（8节）。

虽然诗篇139篇中描述上帝同在的确定性，但也隐含着一个微妙的警告：无论我们身在何处，都无法逃避祂的灵，但它也给那些爱祂、渴望祂同在确据的人带来了极大的安慰：“我往哪里去躲避你的灵？我往哪里去躲避你的面？”（7节）。作为上帝救赎的子民，我们可以从中得到安慰，因为无论我们身在何处，祂都在那里引导我们，扶持着我们（10节）。当我们经历艰难、令人担忧的境况，感觉不到上帝与我们同在时，我们可以确信，祂与所有祂所爱的和爱祂的人同在。愿我们对上帝确确实实地临在的认知，给你我带来我们今日所需的安慰和盼望。

反思与祷告 今天你最忧虑的是什么？知道上帝确确实实地临在，这对你有何帮助？上帝呼召我们安息在祂里面。 亲爱的上帝，当我忧虑时，请帮助我知道我的生命在你手中。

 作者：Jamine Goh