“My father? I never knew him. Never even seen a picture of him.” –Eminem
The first fatherly trait in Exodus is one of the most important for any sort of relationship: He’s around.
The LORD replied, "My Presence will go with you…” (Exodus 33:14).
When Moses asked who would go with him, God said, “I will go with you.” We find this all throughout Scripture. Wherever you go, God will be there.
My dad traveled a lot when I was young. When we were living in England, Dad would sometimes be in the States for months at a time. We missed him terribly. One of the reasons we moved to Milwaukee in 1970 was so that my father could be more invested in our lives—so he could be “around” more. During the years of his absence, my mom pointed me to the “Fatherness of God.” She taught me that He is always around, no matter where I am or what I am doing. While dad was gone, I was forced to seek God’s Fatherness in my life… and His presence became a reality to me.
God is with you right now, even as you read these words, intricately involved in your individual life as a very present Father. No mountain is too high, no valley too low, no river too wide to keep Him away from you. You might even try to run away from God or turn your back on Him, but the moment you stop, you’ll realize that He is still there with you. I mean, look what happened to Jonah!
Consider this:
The LORD your God is with you, the Mighty Warrior who saves. He will take great delight in you; in his love he will no longer rebuke you, but will rejoice over you with singing (Zephaniah 3:17).
Not only is God with you, but He ENJOYS being with you! He desires to love you in every way possible.
God, thank You for Your constant presence. Thank You for loving me enough to never abandon me. Please help me remember that You are with me all the time. Amen.
