“Where shall I go from your Spirit? Or where shall I flee from your presence? If I ascend to heaven, you are there! If I make my bed in Sheo, you are there!” — Psalm 139:7-8
Recently, my family and I had a chance to hike up to Timpanogos Cave National Monument. The hike was fairly steep, hot, and pretty exposed in some areas. Once we made it to the cave entrance, however, we entered a very different world.
The cave was 50 degrees colder than the outside air temperature. We had to put on coats in the middle of summer! Plus, the cave air was humid; it was a stark contrast from the hot, dry, summer air outside. We spent an hour hiking through the cave. At one point, the ranger tour guide made everyone turn off their flashlights. It was so dark that you couldn’t see your hand in front of your face. You couldn’t tell if your eyes were open or closed. The ranger said our eyes would NEVER adjust to the complete darkness. My kids and I later discussed being deep in the cave without any lights.
After that, we crawled through an old fault. It struck me, we were thousands of feet beneath the top of Mount Timpanogos. We were in an inky black cave, walking through an old fault line. Honestly? It was a little unnerving to be that deep in the earth.
But, this verse in Psalms teaches us that God was there with us in Timpanogos Cave. David wrote that God was always keeping an eye on him. You can’t go high enough into the heavens, or deep enough into the earth to escape God’s presence! That should be a comforting thought. It could also be a convicting thought. Where can I flee from your omnipresence, God?
Meditating on His presence,
Posted in A Word from the Pastor