Abiding Presence

“When Jacob awoke from his sleep, he thought, ‘Surely the Lord is in this place, and I was not aware of it.'” Genesis 28:16

During the eight years of battling cancer, there were so many times when I needed the Lord’s help and presence. When I was first diagnosed with cancer and had surgery and chemo, Floyd was with me to help, encourage, and support me. Then he got sick. For the rest of my surgeries and chemo treatments, I was on my own. Thankfully, I had my son who moved here to help us when his dad became sick and many dear friends who cared for and supported me. I am so grateful for all their love and care.

But there were still many times when I felt alone. I knew the truth of the Word that God was with me, but I couldn’t always “feel” His presence. Time and time again I called out to the Lord, and in His tender mercy and grace, He came in His power and overwhelmed me with an awareness of His presence. I don’t know quite how to describe it, but it was a tangible awareness of Him being right here with me. I “felt” Him! I knew He was caring for me.

The truth is that He’s with us whether we feel it or not, but I’ve been grateful for those times when I could feel His presence. At other times I cling tight to the promise that He’s with me.

I’ve never seen an angel (that I know of!), but I believe that angels are watching over me in many situations, too. “The angel of the LORD encamps around those who fear Him, and He delivers them” (Psalm 34:7).

Whether we see or feel these things, we can rest assured that God is with us as we walk through the difficult things in life. He never leaves us nor forsakes us. That is the rock on which we stand firmly when we go through the trials of life.

God is closer than the air we breathe. We can’t see the air around us, but it’s there. We can’t always feel God’s presence with us, but He’s there! May God help us to be aware of His constant abiding presence right with us. When we fully understand that He is WITH us, we can face anything. He is so good!

Father, thank You for settling this matter from the beginning of time—that You were, are, and will be present with us at all times, so we need not fear nor struggle on alone. In Jesus’ Name, Amen.