The impossibility of escaping from God

‘Where can I go from your Spirit? Where can I flee from your presence?’ Psalm 139.7

These words give us so much encouragement.  Deep down we really want to get it right with God; we want to do his will and there is always the worry that if we do wander away from him, then we will lose him and his presence will no longer be with us.  However, this verse reminds us that his presence will never leave us.

The question asked by the psalmist is this – where can I flee from you?  The word ‘fleeing’ has the connotation of deliberately running away; of us making the choice to escape from the presence of God.  The following verse in the psalm reveals the answer – there is nowhere that God is not present.  He is in the heavens, in the depths and at the farthermost parts of the world.  Wherever you may try to flee, his ‘right hand will hold me fast.’ (verse 10).

The point is this: if we cannot deliberately find a place outside God’s presence, then surely it must be impossible to inadvertently wander away from him, especially if our hearts are inclined towards him?  We might make mistakes and fail to give him the attention we should, but the truth for us today is this: wherever we are and whatever we feel, it is true that the right hand of God holds us fast.

Take a few minutes to memorise this phrase from Psalm 139.10 – ‘your right hand will hold me fast’ – and come back to it throughout the day.

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