God is everywhere says Psalm 139. Why then do some Christians cry out for God to come and be present? Why does God seem to be present in some places during our lives but then seems to be completely absent in those same places at other times? Part of the problem is terminology and another part is the state of our heart.
Crying out for God to come is actually asking God to manifest His presence. Moses experienced manifest presence at the burning bush, Elijah in a simple whisper in the wind and the high priests of Israel in the most holy place. There are times when God’s presence is more obvious than other times and this is God’s manifest presence. However some people do not perceive God’s presence even when other people really are. The state of our heart governs our perception of God’s presence. Hard hearts don’t perceive the manifest presence of God. Soft hearts do. Jesus promised to never leave us. As we open our hearts in faith God becomes more real to us. The most holy place where God now dwells is inside us because Jesus removed the temple veil and made a new temple in us. The gospel of John reveals that the Father and the Son have made their home inside us all the time. The Message bible says they moved into the neighbourhood. It takes faith and an open heart to believe this wonderfully unfathomable reality!
– Jim Watt