There is a verse in Jeremiah that speaks volumes to anyone who pays attention. Jeremiah 23:23 and 24 say “Am I only a God nearby, “and not a God far away? Can anyone hide in secret places so that I cannot see him? “Do not I fill heaven and earth?”

Have you ever tried to hide from God? You know you have committed a sin and you want to keep it to yourself, you are ashamed. Just like Adam and Eve in the garden. You have convinced yourself that it was done in secrecy and that not even God could see what you were doing, or for that matter what you’re thinking. We convince ourselves that God is like us, he can only be in one place at one time, he can only see what he is present in that moment to see, therefore, if he was not physically with us when we committed the sin he does not know about it. Newsflash! God is always present, you cannot hide from him, you cannot hide your sin from him; your thoughts are not hidden from him. He sees, hears, and knows everything we think or do, he is ever-present in our lives.

Think of the worst thing you’ve ever done or thought, now imagine doing those things with the knowledge that God is watching, he is right there with you seeing and hearing everything. For a Christian, this brings immediate embarrassment and shame. You would give anything to erase those moments in time.

If we were more aware of God’s presence in our lives I believe we would be living differently? I think most of us would at the very least think twice before we went to “that” place, or we hopefully would think twice about putting something questionable before our eyes,or giving in to a sin. Wouldn’t we guard our thoughts and our words more carefully? Taking each thought captive?

Our Lord “IS” with us, he fills the heaven and the earth, there is no place we can run or hide, he sees us while we’re running and he sees us where we are trying to hide; the beautiful thing about our God who is ever present, who sees and knows everything we think or do; he loves us and he longs to forgive us. He desires that we bring our dirty laundry, our sin to him; he wants to be gracious and kind to us. Jesus died for our past, present, and our future sin. There is no sin other than the sin of unbelief that cannot be forgiven. He longs for us to lay down our shame and run into his arms and ask forgiveness. He longs to put us back on the right path, to give us a better future. He knows that the power of sin is in its secrecy and the devil would love for us to hide away in shame and try to convince us it is hidden from an all-seeing God.

While he was hanging on the cross he knew everything we would ever do or say, and he willingly chose to die for us. We can rest and have peace in that! Just knowing he is ever present and with us everywhere, knowing how holy he is should make us stop in our tracks, re-think the sin we’re about to commit. I have been guilty of dragging my Lord into terrible sin, I forgot his holiness, I forgot that he has given me power through his precious Holy Spirit to resist sin if I will call upon that power. If you do find yourself in sin RUN to Jesus, he is faithful and just to forgive us!