Do you ever hear a phrase that just strikes a chord in you? Something that sounds profound, or which is like a fresh revelation of something you already knew? It happens to me a fair amount of the time. A phrase will jump out from a film or TV show, or in a conversation with a friend, or even occasionally from a sermon or prayer, and my brain will get a little distracted and think something like, “Ooh, that’s a good way of putting it. I like that, I’ll store it away for later. I hadn’t thought to use that phrase before!” And then the phrase will hang around for a while, maybe I’ll write it down and come back to it, or maybe it will just buzz around my brain until I do something with it. Just me?
Well, I came across one of those phrases today. We were praying, and they said, “Let’s pause a moment to acknowledge God is with us, within us and around us.” And rather than pause and reflect, my brain whirred. Its a good phrase. It brings things I know into one place.
I know that God is with us. In Isaiah 41 God says to “fear not, for I am with you; be not dismayed, for I am your God; I will strengthen you, I will help you, I will uphold you with my righteous right hand.” So every time I read that verse I am reminded that God is with us, and is often a word of comfort I give to others as a reminder that they are not alone.
I also know that God is within us. Ephesians 3 20 says, “Now to him who is able to do immeasurably more than all we ask or imagine, according to his power that is at work within us…”. Indeed, in yesterday’s post I wrote about God working in us to change us. I often pray for people that they will God within them as they journey as a comfort and strength.
And just this evening I was reminded that God is around us. I got out of the car a looked up at the clear night sky and could see the stars in all their glory scattered across the night sky. I enjoy walking in the countryside and marvelling at God’s creation, and just last week I walked up a hill to get a better view of a stunning sunset on the Hastings coast. God is in everything we see. The bible puts it even clearer. Psalm 125:2 “As the mountains surround Jerusalem. So the Lord surrounds His people from this time forth and forever.” If we ever forget, there is something there to remind us of God’s glory and power, something I find comfort it, so when I am overwhelmed and stressed, you will find me out walking somewhere, surrounding myself with God.
All that to say, I know all three parts of the phrase separately, but suddenly it clicking inside that they all happen simultaneously. Those things I say or do to offer comfort to others or myself are all there all the time. Quite a revelation for a moment of quiet during prayers!
God. Protector. Transformer. Comforter – with us, within us, and around us. Always.
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