Sermon # 22 - Longing For God's Presence Series

We read in Jonah 2:4,"Then I thought, 'I have been banished from your sight. Will I ever see your holy temple again?' (GW)

After Jonah was swallowed by the big fish that God prepared, Jonah spent three turbulent days and nights in the belly of that fish. At the end of those three days, Jonah cried out to the Lord, and the above verse is part of the thoughts that filled Jonah’s mind. The feeling that overtook Jonah was one of being banished from the sight of God, and His presence. Jonah knew that by his disobedience he had gone far from the presence of God. It was at this time that Jonah pondered if he would ever get to be in God’s temple again, to be back in God’s presence and to listen to God’s word.

As Jonah tarried in the fish’s belly, there was no way he could tell where he was, or the direction the fish was swimming. In those days, the Israelites had the habit of kneeling and praying towards Jerusalem, but Jonah had no clue as to where he was. In spite of this, Jonah decided to look towards God’s temple and call upon Him. Before this incident, Jonah had everything that he could ask for, the presence of God and the word of God, but Jonah did not value any of it. Jonah had to be in a dark and gloomy place, before he understood all that he had forfeited by his disobedience and rebellion.

In recent times, because of the pandemic, we had a hindrance to go to church and worship together. However, even when the lockdown was lifted, there are still many who are hesitant to go back to church. Jonah did not realize the importance of God’s presence until he lost it. So also we must be cautious, and must make the best use of opportunities to come together to worship God, and be in fellowship with one another, thereby enjoying His presence. The presence of God is vital for us as believers, and it is our privilege and duty to worship the Lord together.

When God sent Moses to Pharaoh and instructed that the people of Israel be freed, the reason was that they be set free to worship God in His holy mountain. So also, when God redeemed us from the bondage of sin, He set us free so we could worship Him, individually and collectively. Often we do not comprehend all the blessings that are ours, until we are actually deprived of them.

Let us study the lives of some people in the bible, who like Jonah called on the Lord after a season of rebellion or disobedience and longed for God’s presence in their lives.

The prayer of Samson

We read in Judges 16:28, “And Samson called unto the LORD, and said, O Lord GOD, remember member me, I pray thee, and strengthen me, I pray thee, only this once, O God, that I may be at once avenged of the Philistines for my two eyes.” (ERV)

In the above mentioned prayer Samson pleaded with God to have mercy on him, for just one last time. There were many other times when he had taken God’s grace for granted, and continued his life of sin. Samson constantly indulged in sinful activities that did not please the Lord until he came to a point of no return.

We read in Judges 16:20, Then she shouted, "Samson! The Philistines are coming!" He woke up and thought, "I'll get loose and go free, as always." He did not know that the LORD had left him. (GNB)

The above mentioned verse is one that truly grieves my heart. Samson had given his heart to Delilah, and she nagged Samson into telling her the secret to his strength. She had now made Samson weak and vulnerable, so that the Philistines could come and capture Samson with ease. Samson woke up and thought that he could prevail like other times, not knowing that the Spirit of the Lord had departed from him. Every time Samson kept sinning, the chords of sin that entangled him became stronger, but he was unaware of it. Samson was captured, tortured by the Philistines who gouged his eyes out, and made him grind flour in prison. It was in this time of total desperation that Samson cried out to the Lord for succor.

We too must understand that God’s patience does not mean we can go on sinning. God extends His grace to us because He longs that His children whom He has created should turn back to Him. Whenever we sin, we must always turn back to God with repentance, always seeking to abide in the presence of the Lord. God’s presence alone will lead us, guide us, counsel us and protect us. We should always live in the awareness of the Holy Spirit of God and His presence in our lives every single day. If we do so, we will be triumphant and accomplish all that God wants to do in and through us.