Life brings many pains and pressures, and the moments of exhaustion often feel empty. When God feels furthest from us, the Bible reminds us that he is truly never far away.

Throughout the story of humanity, God draws near to his people. First, he walked with Adam and Eve in the Garden of Eden (Genesis 3:8). The Old Testament promise of the Messiah is fulfilled in the New Testament by Jesus, who was called Emmanuel, a Hebrew word that means “God with us” (Matthew 1:23). In the last few moments with his disciples, Jesus reminded them that he would never leave them.

Even now as the world changes around us, these verses (from the New Living Translation) remind us time and time again that God, our Emmanuel, still draws near.

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What Does the Bible Say About God’s Presence?

 

Deuteronomy 31:8

“Do not be afraid or discouraged, for the Lord will personally go ahead of you. He will be with you; he will neither fail you nor abandon you.”

Exodus 25:8

“Have the people of Israel build me a holy sanctuary so I can live among them.”

Psalm 16:11

You will show me the way of life, granting me the joy of your presence and the pleasures of living with you forever.

Psalm 139:7-8*

I can never escape from your Spirit! I can never get away from your presence! If I go up to heaven, you are there; if I go down to the grave, you are there.

*Study Note: Life Application Study Bible: note for Psalm 139:7-8

God is omnipresent, meaning he is present everywhere. Because of this, you can never escape from his Spirit. This is good news to those who know and love God, because no matter what we do or where we go, we can never be far from God’s guiding and comforting presence (see Romans 8:35-39).

Luke 15:10

“In the same way, there is joy in the presence of God’s angels when even one sinner repents.”

Judges 5:5

“The mountains quaked in the presence of the Lord, the God of Mount Sinai—in the presence of the Lord, the God of Israel.”

Matthew 18:20

“For where two or three gather together as my followers, I am there among them.”

Ephesians 3:12*

Because of Christ and our faith in him, we can now come boldly and confidently into God’s presence.

*Study Note: Life Application Study Bible: note for Ephesians 3:12

We have the awesome privilege of being able to approach God with freedom and confidence. Most of us would be apprehensive in the presence of a powerful ruler. But thanks to Christ, by faith we can enter directly into God’s presence through prayer (see Ephesians 2:18; Hebrews 4:16). We know we will be welcomed with open arms because we are God’s children through our union with Christ. Don’t be afraid of God. Talk with him about everything. He wants to hear from you.

Psalms 37:7

Be still in the presence of the Lord, and wait patiently for him to act. Don’t worry about evil people who prosper or fret about their wicked schemes.

Matthew 28:19-20

“Therefore, go and make disciples of all the nations, baptizing them in the name of the Father and the Son and the Holy Spirit. Teach these new disciples to obey all the commands I have given you. And be sure of this: I am with you always, even to the end of the age.”

2 Chronicles 5:14

 The priests could not continue their service because of the cloud, for the glorious presence of the LORD filled the Temple of God.

Exodus 13:21-22

The Lord went ahead of them. He guided them during the day with a pillar of cloud, and he provided light at night with a pillar of fire. This allowed them to travel by day or by night. And the Lord did not remove the pillar of cloud or pillar of fire from its place in front of the people.

 

Dig deeper into more verses with the New Living Translation and the Life Application Study Bible notes.>

A team of over 100 leading biblical scholars meticulously translated the best Hebrew, Greek, and Aramaic texts into the contemporary English of the New Living Translation (NLT), blending the highest accuracy with exceptional clarity. The result is the accurate, understandable, and audibly enjoyable Bible translation that you can trust and easily apply to your life. Learn more on the official NLT website: NewLivingTranslation.com.