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With You

             Have I not commanded you? Be strong and courageous. Do not be afraid; do not be discouraged, for the Lord your God will be with you wherever you go.” (Joshua 1:9)

Where can I go from your Spirit? Where can I flee from your presence? If I go up to the heavens, you are there; if I make my bed in the depths, you are there. If I rise on the wings of the dawn, if I settle on the far side of the sea, even there your hand will guide me, your right hand will hold me fast. (Psalm 139:7-10)

The Hound of Heaven (by Francis Thompson)

As Christians, we’re supposed to seek God’s presence and to rejoice that He is with us wherever we go. Promises like the one in Joshua are supposed to be comforting or thrilling. And at least part of the time, they are. This morning, these passages brought to mind a different feeling, and a long poem by Francis Thompson. Don’t worry, it’s not as long as Paradise Lost (Milton). It’s the idea that we can’t get away from God. He’s with us whether we want Him to be or not. He can’t be escaped.

There are times when we don’t want God to be with us, even though we know we should. For Joshua, God’s being with him mean responsibility for millions of people, going into combat (Yes, he was trained, that doesn’t mean he enjoyed it), and trying to live up to and set the standards. Every little mistake potentially destroyed everything for everyone. There are times when I tell God that I’m angry with Him and really don’t want to talk to Him. I usually continue, explaining that I know that if there’s wrong involved, it’s not His. He is correct in all He has done, but I’m going to go off over there and bang cupboard doors or whatever, and when I get over my snit, I’ll let Him know.

I’m not saying that being angry with God is a good thing. I am saying there are times when we may not be pleased that we can’t escape from God, just as there are times when we may not be pleased that we can’t escape from anyone else. It’s a good thing that we can’t escape from Him, but that doesn’t mean we don’t want to run to Tarshish when God tells us to go to Ninevah, or to run to the mountains in hopes of death. God knows when we’re being cranky babies who need to be allowed to fuss, and when we need to be held. We need to deal with ourselves and our feelings responsibly, but that takes time. That processing can’t happen if we can’t or won’t face our feelings. And, to be clear, this is not justification to go spend a wild night on the town or to embrace folly. The goal isn’t to punish ourselves or God, but to work through whatever it is we’re facing like adults. The goal is to return as quickly as possible to enjoying God’s presence and being strong and courageous.

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