Ποῦ πορευθῶ ἀπὸ τοῦ πνεύματός σου, καὶ ἀπὸ τοῦ προσώπου σου ποῦ φύγω;(Ψαλμ. ΡΛΗ (138):7)

Where can I go from your Spirit? Where can I flee from your presence? (Ps 139:7)

In Psalm 139, King David expresses the fact that there is nowhere he can go to escape the presence of the Lord. Whether in “heaven” or “hell” or the “uttermost parts of the sea”, God is always there. Although this shows us that God is omnipresent, there is a deeper message that can be taken from this verse. In all aspects of our lives, God is always looking over us. When things are going well, we must give thanks to God, as He is the one who has blessed us with success.

We need to remember the words of St Paul: “I can do all things through Christ who strengthens me” (Philippians 4:13). It is a sign of ingratitude if we receive abundant blessings from God, but fail to acknowledge Him who pours His Grace on us. At the same time, the psalmist is trying to tell us that God is also present during the difficult times of life. God is always watching over us, and making sure that no temptation is more than we can bear.

There are countless examples of Saints who only turned to God once their life had reached a low – and they suddenly realised that they need God in their lives. It is our calling as Orthodox Christians to carry the cross that Christ has asked us to lift. Christ’s commandment is: “If anyone desires to come after Me, let him deny himself, and take up his cross daily, and follow Me” (Luke 9:23). This is what King David wants us to understand, that regardless of the circumstances we are in, God is always with us.

Source: Lychnos August / September 2016