Tuesday: Our Father's Presence | Sabbath School Net

“For I am the LORD your God who takes hold of your right hand and says to you, Do not fear; I will help you” (Isaiah 41:13, NIV).

Someone once said, “When God seems far away, who is the one who has moved?” When problems strike, we presume that God has deserted us. The truth is that He hasn’t gone anywhere.

Image © David Sorensen from GoodSalt.com

God’s presence seemed very far away to the Jews in exile. Yet, through Isaiah God assures them of future deliverance. However, while the actual return to Jerusalem was still many years in the future, God wanted His people to know that He had not moved away from them and that there was every reason for hope.

Read Isaiah 41:8-14. What reasons for hope can you identify for people waiting eagerly for future deliverance? How does this promise help us as we wait for our exile on earth to end?

One of the most powerful images in these verses is found in Isaiah 41:13. The sovereign God of the universe says that His people do not need to fear, because He is the one who takes “hold of your right hand” (NIV). It is one thing to imagine God guiding events on earth from a big throne light-years away from our earth. But it is an altogether different picture to realize that He is close enough to hold the hands of His dearly beloved people.

When we are busy, it can be hard to remember that God is so close to us. But when we do remember that He is Immanuel, “God with us,” it makes such a difference. When God’s presence is with us, so are His purposes, His promises, and His transforming power.

Over the next few days, try an experiment. At every moment possible, try to remind yourself that the God of the universe is close enough to you to hold your hand and is personally promising you help. Keep a record of how this changes the way you live. Be prepared to discuss your experience in class on Sabbath.

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I have told the story before of how Carmel and I were in different countries during most of our engagement time. The only regular communication we had was letter-writing. Phone calls cost an arm and a leg, There was no internet with its chat/skype/facetime connectivity. Just hand-written letters that took an hour to write and three days to be delivered. Yet in spite of the separation, we managed to remain close. I went about my regular activities but I was always conscious that I had a fiance in New Zealand. I studied for my examinations harder, because I wanted to get a good job and be a provider for my anticipated family. I took no interest in other women who I saw every day. I could say that I behaved as though Carmel was with me - even though we were physically separated.

There are three elements to this notion of the presence of God that we should consider:

1) A strong relationship to begin with - not just mental assent. Carmel and I were separated for our engagement but the relationship continued because it was strong in the first place. It was not just a case of she had said, "Yes!" When God appears distant, a strong relationship to begin with is helpful.

2) Communication is an important part of the presence of God. That does not just mean that we pray a set piece at the end of our worship period. It involves an ongoing conversation that includes listening.

3) The only way some people are going to experience the presence of God is when we reveal the presence of God in our own lives.

Read what John has to say:

Dear friends, let us practice loving each other, for love comes from God and those who are loving and kind show that they are the children of God, and that they are getting to know him better. But if a person isn’t loving and kind, it shows that he doesn’t know God—for God is love.

God showed how much he loved us by sending his only Son into this wicked world to bring to us eternal life through his death. In this act we see what real love is: it is not our love for God but his love for us when he sent his Son to satisfy God’s anger against our sins.

Dear friends, since God loved us as much as that, we surely ought to love each other too. For though we have never yet seen God, when we love each other God lives in us, and his love within us grows ever stronger. 1 John 4:7-12 TLB

The presence of God is meaningful when we share the experience with others. It is not a "feel-good" experience just for us.

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Comments

Tuesday: Our Father’s Presence — 9 Comments

Larry Flynn on August 8, 2022 at 11:00 am said:

Father sat down on the edge of the narrow bed. "Corrie," he began gently, "when you and I go to Amsterdam-when do I give you your ticket?"
I sniffed a few times, considering this.
"Why, just before we get on the train."
"Exactly. And our wise Father in heaven knows when we're going to need things, too. Don't run out ahead of Him, Corrie. When the time comes that some of us will have to die, you will look into your heart and find the strength you need-just in time.
Corrie ten Boom, The Hiding Place: The Triumphant

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Maurice Ashton on August 8, 2022 at 2:22 pm said:

I have told the story before of how Carmel and I were in different countries during most of our engagement time. The only regular communication we had was letter-writing. Phone calls cost an arm and a leg, There was no internet with its chat/skype/facetime connectivity. Just hand-written letters that took an hour to write and three days to be delivered. Yet in spite of the separation, we managed to remain close. I went about my regular activities but I was always conscious that I had a fiance in New Zealand. I studied for my examinations harder, because I wanted to get a good job and be a provider for my anticipated family. I took no interest in other women who I saw every day. I could say that I behaved as though Carmel was with me - even though we were physically separated.

There are three elements to this notion of the presence of God that we should consider:

1) A strong relationship to begin with - not just mental assent. Carmel and I were separated for our engagement but the relationship continued because it was strong in the first place. It was not just a case of she had said, "Yes!" When God appears distant, a strong relationship to begin with is helpful.

2) Communication is an important part of the presence of God. That does not just mean that we pray a set piece at the end of our worship period. It involves an ongoing conversation that includes listening.

3) The only way some people are going to experience the presence of God is when we reveal the presence of God in our own lives.

Read what John has to say:

Dear friends, let us practice loving each other, for love comes from God and those who are loving and kind show that they are the children of God, and that they are getting to know him better. But if a person isn’t loving and kind, it shows that he doesn’t know God—for God is love.

God showed how much he loved us by sending his only Son into this wicked world to bring to us eternal life through his death. In this act we see what real love is: it is not our love for God but his love for us when he sent his Son to satisfy God’s anger against our sins.

Dear friends, since God loved us as much as that, we surely ought to love each other too. For though we have never yet seen God, when we love each other God lives in us, and his love within us grows ever stronger. 1 John 4:7-12 TLB

The presence of God is meaningful when we share the experience with others. It is not a "feel-good" experience just for us.

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Phil van der Klift on August 8, 2022 at 7:10 pm said:

Isaiah 57:15 is a verse I particularly like to keep in mind and incorporate in prayer that conveys a similar idea to what is being outlined in today's lesson.

""For this is what the high and lofty One says, who inhabits eternity, whose name is Holy: "He lives in (inhabits/indwells) the height and in holiness, and also (inhabits/indwells) with the one who is of a contrite and humble spirit, to revive the spirit of the humble, and to revive the heart of the contrite." (ISV: bracketed amplifications mine)

I particularly like the intimacy that is affirmed in this verse. Not only is God unlimited in His vastness and powerfulness, but He is at the same time intimately present within me - not just beside me or above me. This is truth - even if/when I do not feel it.

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Lawrence on August 8, 2022 at 10:11 pm said:

Thank you. Currently, I am being challenged to show love to my son who has rejected our faith and chosen another way, another lifestyle. It is tough, but now I understand why I must put away my anger, disappointment and anguish and feel and show love for him instead. So that he can feel the love of God at this point in his life.

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JC Zielak on August 9, 2022 at 2:21 am said:

I'm not only self-centered, I also have a degenerative memory, because I easily forget my origin. I'm the son of God, as everyone around me. But this "ridiculously simple" reality seems to fade away almost every minute on my mind - (besides being even thought as a real blasphemy!)
"What a poor man I am!" Who can forget who his real Father is, being his Father just the owner of all Universe?
Perhaps I should not think of it as being a reality, because I'm not worthy of this position!
True!
I'm not worthy because I choose most of the time to not to be! Meanwhile, my real Father chose and planned me perfectly! He even gave His perfect and holy OTHER Son to die for me! He longs for me every minute, while I consciously refuse His offering all the time!
Poor is not the person who doesn't have material things. Poor is everyone who denies God's love and fatherhood just because of a faded and crapy memory! Have mercy on me, Lord!

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- Michael Z on August 9, 2022 at 4:42 am said:
  
  Thank you JC for this difficult but realistic assessment.
  
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- Larry Flynn on August 9, 2022 at 5:16 am said:
  
  We were made to be in his image. His image has nothing to do with our earthly temples, and everything to do with a transformed mind of godly charachter and fruits of the Spitit.
  
  Our minds hold only ONE thought at a time, even though thousands of thoughts flash in sequence to get our attention.
  
  The scripture I use for my bombardment of thoughts is to bring every THOUGHT CAPTIVE TO CHRIST..
  
  casting down imaginations, and every high thing that is exalted against the knowledge of God, and bringing #every thought into captivity to the obedience of Christ#
  2 Corinthians 10:5
  
  I filter my thoughts, question where is this thought coming from and what is the motivation of this thought, if its not godly, I reject it with scripture.
  Jesus in the flesh went through this process in the wilderness and throughout his earthly life...he used scriptures to counter the satan, he can help us in his success of godly thoughts and motivation.
  
  It's a battle we all go through, Jesus can help, he put Satan under his feet ( out of his mind)
  
  Shalom brother
  Keep on trucking (meme)
  🙏👍🏻
  
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Pete A Villarreal on August 9, 2022 at 6:40 am said:

Yes, God is very much present and right there to hold our "right hand." But if we do not do what Moses said for us to do "Even in the latter days," deuteronomy 4:29-30 we will find ourselves suffering in our own selfish choices. This promise came to me one day as I contemplated this as to how God gave these words to Moses to write them down for God's end time people as His people had yet to cross Jordan to possess Canaan for the first time but Moses, via God's Holy Spirit, tells them that they will leave off serving God in holiness and righteousness to the point that God would end up dispersing them throughout the earth and yet He would be there if they from there chose to "Seek Him with their whole heart, mind and soul."

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Brigitte Humphery on August 9, 2022 at 10:28 am said:

God, our heavenly Father ‘holding our right hand’. I was wondering about why the ‘right’ hand and found comments to say that: ‘God uses His right hand for action; the only action I have to perform is to hold tight His right hand.’
I can see Isaiah’s message reminding us that it is ‘the Lord your God’ that is holding our right hand, it is He who says to us’ – “Fear not, I am the one who helps you.” We find Jesus sitting at the right hand of God, and we are hid in Him – Eph.1:19-21.

Is the power of God’s might transferred into our right hand through faith, causing us to ‘walk’ confidently in the spirit of our Lord and Savior Christ Jesus? When we go about our daily life, is it therefore ‘enough’ to just hold on, not to let go of the hand of God which transfers His power into our lives and brings about our salvation by faith?

God’s message through Isaiah came to Israel at their time of exile in a foreign land; no indication of returning to Jerusalem. Do we find ourselves living in a ‘foreign’ land as we live our lives here in the midst of constant challenges to maintaining the spirit of our faith that the Father’s hand is holding our right hand?

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