Jeremiah floats the question, and I almost miss the impact.
Coming as it does in the midst of a firestorm of holy fury against the false prophets who are Jeremiah’s contemporaries, the question sounds rhetorical:
“’Am I a God at hand, declares the Lord, and not a God far away?
Can a man hide himself in secret places so that I cannot see him?
Do I not fill heaven and earth?’ declares the Lord.” (Jeremiah 23:23, 24)
Immanent and transcendent, God declares Himself to the ears of those who want nothing of Truth, and Jeremiah faithfully stored up His words for us today. We know from reading his howling laments that Jeremiah was no stranger to the sense of God’s absence. A condition that has prowled every believer in every era, I wonder if we notice as acutely in our time?
Oswald Chambers warned against it:
“Guard jealously your relationship to God. . . Are you drawing your life from any other source than God Himself?” If you are depending upon anything but Him, you will never know when He is gone.” (My Utmost for His Highest, January 20th)
He who “fills heaven and earth” is certainly never “gone,” but with a Word that comes to us as both fire and hammer, it’s incredible that we miss His voice so easily.
Because the whole earth is full of his glory,
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Living Our Days 
God truly asked very powerful questions. He still does! Love the Oswald Chambers quote! Have a blessed Sunday!
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Blessings to you, Joanne!
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Thank you. God bless you and gives you strenght.
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Thank you, Aritha!
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Such a powerful truth. I love the prophet Jeremiah and his brutal honesty.
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I spent most of a year in a slow slog through the book of Jeremiah, so he feels like an old friend to me now.
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Even though try…you cannot ever NOT see God in everything and how he blesses.
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He’s certainly made himself known through nature and through his word!
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God’s words, Oswald’s words, your words … a striking combo this Sunday afternoon.
I hope this Sabbath is offering you rest and refreshment, Michele.
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Oh, thank you, Linda.
You always show up with encouraging words!
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That’s true that God is always with us, has promised never to forsake us, yet the relationship is a lot closer at some times than others. Our church read through Isaiah, then took a quick jaunt through Mark, and started Jeremiah this week. It’s so easy to shake our heads over those foolish Israelites and their idolatrous ways and miss our own tendencies. As the hymn says, “Prone to wander, Lord, I feel it, prone to leave the God I love. Here’s my heart: O take and seal it. Seal it for Thy courts above.”
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That’s a hymn that I pray on a regular basis, Barbara!
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Powerful thought! We do need to remind ourselves that God is everywhere and we cannot hide ourselves from him. The Chambers quote is something to think about as well. Thank you for sharing on Scripture and a Snapshot
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I love the wisdom of Oswald Chambers!
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Thank you for sharing your good thoughts. Praise to the God who is EVERYWHERE!
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Yes, Praise HIM!
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Incredible that God does not reserve his glory for heaven only. He allows the whole sin-blemished EARTH to be full of his glory as well. Lord, give me eyes to see and ears to hear–to not miss a glimmer! And thank you, Michele, for your uplifting words.
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We don’t want to miss any opportunity!
Thanks for reading.
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