In His Presence by T. E. Bowen

Pacific Press Publishing Company · Mountain View, California · Nov 11, 1908

FromSigns of the Times, Vol. 35, No. 15.

In His Presence.

By T. E. Bowen

THIS world forms a part of God's great universe. In its orbit and station in the heavens it forms as much a part of the great heavenly universe as does any other world. And while sin has entered this once beautiful and perfect world, even this fact does not shut us entirely away from God's presence.

Somehow we have been educated by the artful deceiver to believe that we can hide away from God down here in this darkened corner of His universe, and get entirely out of His presence. But this is not so. The psalmist wrote: “Whither shall I go from Thy Spirit? or whither shall I flee from Thy presence? If I ascend up into heaven, Thou art there: if I make my bed in hell [the grave], behold, Thou art there. . . . If I say, Surely the darkness shall cover me; even the night shall be light about me. Yea, . . . the darkness and the light are both alike to Thee.” Ps. 139:7-12.

There is a peculiar charm that takes possession of one when in the very presence of his friends and loved ones. There is a power for good or evil that takes hold of the very life, influencing it either in the right or wrong direction. Even an evil-minded person is often restrained from deeds of violence or of shame by the presence of some noble-minded, pure-hearted one. The good mother's presence in the home is a constant benediction, full of encouragement, helping all to do right, and repressing the evil.

But what about the presence of God? If the presence of some good person has such blessing in it for good, what should the very presence of God do for us?

There is a sweet little story told of how the tiny daughter of an atheist unconsciously brought this thought home to her father's heart with great force. The father did not want his little girl to form any idea of God, so wrote out these words on a bit of paper, “God is nowhere.” He then asked her to read it to him. She began, and so spelled the sentence out as to make it read, “God is now here.” It is said that this so startled the man that he was brought to the feet of Jesus, to acknowledge Him whose very existence he had heretofore denied.

Ah! he learned, as all sooner or later must, that we are living and acting in the very presence of the great I AM. “Neither is there any creature that is not manifest in His sight: but all things are naked and opened unto the eyes of Him with whom we have to do.”

Well will it be for those who profess to be His children not to forget in whose presence we constantly dwell. T. E. BOWEN.