God's Holy Fire: 'I Can't Take It All In!'

Saturday, March 11, 2023

I look behind me and you're there, then up ahead and you're there, too — your reassuring presence, coming and going. This is too much, too wonderful — I can't take it all in! Is there anyplace I can go to avoid your Spirit? to be out of your sight? If I climb to the sky, you're there! If I go underground, you're there! If I flew on morning's wings to the far western horizon, you'd find me in a minute — you're already there waiting!
— Psalm 139:5-10 MESSAGE

Key Thought

Psalm 139 has long been one of my favorite psalms. David gives us words to talk about God's abiding presence across every nanosecond of life. He is there at conception, knowing us, purposing our lives, and making us — his fingerprints are on us. He is there in the daytime and nighttime. He is there in good times and bad. He is there even as death surrounds us. And the means of his presence? The Holy Spirit. We cannot, and should not, ever want to be out of sight of God's Spirit or out of range of God's grace. How can we understand this concept? I don't think we are intended to understand it completely. We are to take comfort in it, as Jesus reminds us so powerfully in John chapters 14-16 when he calls the Holy Spirit our Comforter/Counselor/Advocate (John 14:26; John 15:26). We join with David and say, "This is too much, too wonderful — I can't take it all in!"

Today's Prayer

Almighty God, I thank you for the abiding grace of your presence through the Holy Spirit. I confess that I never recognized the pervasive presence of the Holy Spirit in my life until I started looking at your word and hearing again your promises. Thank you! Thank you in Jesus' name. Amen.

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Illustration

Illustration of Psalm 139:5-10 MESSAGE — If I flew on morning's wings to the far western horizon, you'd find me in a minute — you're already there waiting!

About This Devotional

God's Holy Fire is a daily devotional about the work of the Holy Spirit in our lives.

The Thoughts and Prayer for God's Holy Fire are written by Phil Ware.

Scripture quotations marked (NIV) are taken from the Holy Bible, New International Version®, NIV®. Copyright © 1973, 1978, 1984, 2011 by Biblica, Inc.™ Used by permission of Zondervan. All rights reserved worldwide.
Scripture quotations marked MESSAGE are taken from THE MESSAGE, copyright © 1993, 1994, 1995, 1996, 2000, 2001, 2002 by Eugene H. Peterson. Used by permission of NavPress. All rights reserved. Represented by Tyndale House Publishers, Inc.

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