By Pastor William Y. K. Brown Ph.D
(Resident Pastor)
Seventh-day Adventist Church
Osu-Bethel.
Tel: 0244165628/0243310773.
wykbrown@gmail.com
FRIDAY
THEME: “AM I A GOD NEAR AT HAND?”
SCRIPTURE: Jeremiah 23:23-24
“[23]“Am I a God near at hand,” says the Lord, “And not a God afar off? [24]Can anyone hide himself in secret places, So I shall not see him?” says the Lord; “Do I not fill heaven and earth?” says the Lord.”
REFLECTIONS
Surprisingly, human beings are so forgetful and do not remember that they are always entirely naked before God. Often, we act and conduct ourselves as if God also is oblivious to what we do. The shortness of our memory lends credence to how we behave, thinking we are out of the presence of God. We should be conscious that nothing can be hidden from our Creator God. He knows the house we live in, our room and the bed we sleep on, the food we eat, what we think and plan, and all our good and illicit relationships. When we conceive to do evil, we plan and act in the dark or where no one can see. But we hardly remember that heaven is an open space that overlooks where we are. God sees everywhere and everything. God is near at hand, and nothing is hidden from Him.
Our text for today is rare in terms of the context. God draws attention to an ongoing falsehood by asking questions regarding the operations and lies churned out by false prophets of the time. As Jeremiah, a true prophet, prophesied against the people’s attitude and impending punishment, the false ones countered his prophecy, declaring it shall be well and life will be normal. To these, God says in Jeremiah 23:21, “I have not sent these prophets, yet they ran. I have not spoken to them, yet they prophesied.” If they were genuine, they would counsel God’s people to eschew evil and do right, God intimated (verse 23), but they caused the people to sin more.
These false prophets behave as if God is far away and does not see. In verses 23-24, God asks, [23]“Am I a God near at hand,” says the Lord, “And not a God afar off? [24]Can anyone hide himself in secret places, So I shall not see him?” says the Lord; “Do I not fill heaven and earth?” says the Lord.” God affirms His omnipresence. He exposes these liars and says in verse 25, “I have heard what the prophets have said who prophesy lies in My name, saying, ‘I have dreamed, I have dreamed!’” The situation then is not different from what it is today. Many false prophets have arisen and are deceiving many people, including many Christians who should know better.
Beyond the false prophets, God still reminds us that He is everywhere and knows everything. We cannot hide behind His seeming absence to craft and do evil. What plans do you have today? Commit them to God’s hands. Be careful what you say and do because God is so near yet afar. Do not deceive yourself that nobody has seen; therefore, God, our ultimate judge, has also not seen. David had the correct perception of the presence of God when he penned Psalm 139:9-12,16. Our joy is that because God is everywhere, sees, and hears everything that goes on, He will rescue us from the hands of the enemy. He will heal our diseases, forgive our sins, provide for our needs, protect us from danger, elevate us, defend us to ensure decisions are taken in our favor, offer us peace, prosper our ways, and grant us victory and salvation.
MY SONG OF COMMITMENT
SDAH 456 – “My Lord And I” – From Songs of Everlasting Joy
LET US PRAY
– Praise and thank God for being everywhere you find yourself; thank God for manifesting His presence in your life; pray to have a closer and more intimate relationship with Him;
– Pray for Christians to be aware of the false prophets and not be deceived; pray for the conversion of false prophets and prophetesses; pray for those who have become victims of these false prophets;
– Pray for Christians to learn to approach God in prayer because He loves to hear their voices, believe in God’s presence to have hope, and always remember God is near and ready to bless;
– Pray for the peace and prosperity of the country, the well-being of your loved ones, healing for the unwell, protection for the innocent, and relief for the suffering.
