Even There: The Invisible Hand Of God In Unlikely Places

EVEN THERE: The Invisible Hand of God in Unlikely Places

Text: Psalm 139:7–10 (NIV)

“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.”

INTRODUCTION — “WHEN GOD FEELS FAR, HE’S STILL NEAR”

Life sometimes takes us into unexpected places — the mountaintop of success or the valley of failure, the dawn of change or the loneliness of distance.

In those moments we often ask, “Lord, are You still here?”

David once felt that way. Hunted, betrayed, exalted, and broken, he came to this life-changing discovery:

There is no place so high that God cannot humble me, no place so low that He cannot lift me, no journey so fast that He cannot guide me, and no distance so far that He cannot hold me.

Let’s walk through David’s words — and discover that in every unlikely place, God’s invisible hand is still leading and holding us.

I. EVEN THERE — IN THE HEIGHTS OF LIFE

“If I go up to the heavens, you are there.” (v. 8a)

Intro to the Verse:

Heaven — the highest imaginable place — symbolizes glory, success, and triumph. David begins here to show that even at life’s summit, God’s presence is not left behind; it is still the reason we stand.

David’s Experience: The Heights of Success

David rose from shepherd to king, from obscurity to glory. He defeated Goliath, earned the love of a nation, and ruled with God’s favor. But he also knew that success can be deceptive. The higher he rose, the more he needed the grounding hand of God.

Lessons from the Heights

1. Success tests character more than failure. Prosperity can tempt us to forget the Giver.

2. Every victory is a trust, not a trophy. God lifts us up to represent Him, not ourselves.

3. The higher we climb, the deeper our humility must go.

Personal Challenge

When life is good — your ministry grows, your work prospers, your dreams unfold — pause and ask: “Have I remembered the hand that lifted me?”

Use your success to glorify God, not yourself.

Pray: “Lord, keep me humble in the heights. Let every crown I receive remind me of Your grace.”

II. EVEN THERE — IN THE DEPTHS OF DESPAIR

“If I make my bed in the depths, you are there.” (v. 8b)

Intro to the Verse

David turns from heaven’s heights to the depths below — a poetic way of saying “even in the lowest place imaginable.” For him, that wasn’t theory; it was testimony.

David’s Experience: The Depths of Failure and Grief

David fell hard — morally, emotionally, and spiritually. His sin with Bathsheba, the loss of his child, and the betrayal of Absalom led him to some of the darkest nights of his life.

Yet even in his lowest moments, God did not abandon him. The same hand that blessed him on the throne reached down to restore him in repentance.

Lessons from the Depths

1. No sin is too deep for God’s mercy to reach. His grace goes lower than our shame.

2. Brokenness can become a birthplace of intimacy. We meet God most deeply when we need Him most desperately.

3. Failure does not end your story — it reintroduces you to grace.

Personal Challenge

If you are lying in the bed of regret or pain, whisper this prayer:

“Lord, meet me even here. Turn my lowest place into Your meeting place.”

Let your wounds become worship, and let your guilt become gratitude.

Remember — the pit you’re in today can become the altar where you rise again.

III. EVEN THERE — IN THE UNCERTAINTIES OF CHANGE

“If I rise on the wings of the dawn…” (v. 9a)

Intro to the Verse

The “wings of the dawn” describe the rays of morning sunlight speeding across the sky. David uses this image to speak of life’s swift transitions — moments when change comes faster than we can prepare for it.

David’s Experience: Seasons of Change

David’s life was a constant motion — from fields to palaces, from victory to exile, from peace to war. He knew the excitement of new seasons and the anxiety of the unknown. Yet through every transition, God’s hand guided his steps before he even took them.

Lessons from the Changing Seasons

1. Change is not chaos when God directs it. What feels unstable to us is strategic to Him.

2. God’s guidance goes before our obedience. He is already at work in the season we’re about to enter.