The Lord of hosts is with us; the God of Jacob is our refuge.” vs. 7
Psalm 46
The psalmist had a strong sense of God’s closeness–to put it in theological terms, he was aware of the immanence of God. To put it even more plainly, God was real to him, palpable and near, capable of being perceived by his senses. When there was danger or trouble of any kind, the psalmist was confident that God would protect him. Some folks in our changing times have trouble connecting with that sense of God. If they believe in God at all, God is understood as an idea or concept, the underlying source of all life and matter. But they’re fully capable of going through the days of their life without taking note of or even seeing any need for God. And they’re comfortable living without God! That’s one of the reasons so many of our children and grandchildren don’t worship–they don’t see any point in it because God simply isn’t real to them. There just isn’t a spot for God in their daily lives, and they’re not bound by habit or tradition to keep on participating in the rituals that they grew up with. And as parents and grandparents we don’t even know what to say to them–because truthfully, sometimes we don’t feel that close to God either. Let’s face it, the church is in a rough spot! The young are leaving, the old are hanging on, and the future is filled with uncertainty!
Thought for the Day: Where am I most likely to feel the immanence of God?
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