Consider this undeniable truth, a core tenet of our faith that no Christian can doubt: the great God who created us all—the eternal, incomprehensible, and infinite majesty, to whom all creation is as nothing—is present everywhere. He is truly in every place and in every being. Wherever we are, God is there, with all His divine attributes. The entire deity, the whole Blessed Trinity, is present. As Scripture says, “Can a man hide himself in secret places so I cannot see him?” says the Lord. “Do I not fill heaven and earth?” (Jeremiah 23:24). And in Psalm 138 (139:7) “Where can I go from your Spirit? Where can I flee from your presence? If I ascend to heaven, you are there; if I descend into hell, you are there.” How is it that Christians know this and yet still dare to sin? They cannot claim ignorance; it’s one of the first truths taught from childhood. Their problem is they think so little of God or His presence that they forget it entirely. It is as St. John the Baptist said to the Jews about their Messiah: “There stands one among you whom you do not know” (John 1:26). How little, indeed, do so many Christians truly know the great God!
Reflect on the fact that since God is everywhere, He witnesses all our thoughts, words, and actions. He sees and hears everything—nothing is hidden from Him, not even the most secret movements of the soul. He “searches minds and hearts” (Revelation 2:23), and discerns the deepest thoughts and intentions. “Nothing in all creation is hidden from His sight; everything is uncovered and laid bare before His eyes” (Hebrews 4:12-13). It is foolish, then, for a sinner to think like the fool described in Ecclesiasticus: “Who sees me? Darkness surrounds me, the walls cover me, and no one sees me.” Yet he forgets that to God, darkness and light are the same (Psalm 138:12), and that His eyes are brighter than the sun, seeing everything, even the depths of our hearts. Oh, if only people would remember these truths!
Realise that God is not only present with us in every place, but also within us. He fills our very souls, more deeply and intimately than our own soul fills our body. He is the source and sustainer of our very life and being. If He were to withdraw His presence, even for a moment, we would cease to exist and return to nothing. “In Him we live, move, and have our being,” says St. Paul (Acts 17:28). We are not just surrounded by God, like birds in the air or fish in the sea, but He penetrates every part of our being. It is literally true that we are always in Him, and He is always in us. How much worse, then, is the guilt of our sins, when they are not only committed against God and in His sight, but also within Him, the very one in whom we live and move!
Resolve to regret how little you have considered the presence of God, both around you and within you. Determine to keep this truth before your eyes from now on. Let us strive, my soul, to always be with Him, who is always with us.
Meditations by St. Richard of Sussex (Bp. Richard Challoner; meditations in modern English)
