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.
3. Faith grows best between “what was” and “what’s next.”
Personal Challenge
When change unsettles you — a move, a loss, a transition — pray:
“Lord, guide me faster than my fears can run. Help me trust that You are already in my tomorrow.”
Remember: when life moves too fast for you, His grace still sets the pace.
IV. EVEN THERE — IN DISTANCE AND ISOLATION
“If I settle on the far side of the sea, even there your hand will guide me, your right hand will hold me fast.” (vv. 9b–10)
Intro to the Verse
The “far side of the sea” represents distance — physical, emotional, and spiritual. It’s the place that feels farthest from home, from others, and sometimes from God.
David’s Experience: The Far Side of Isolation
There were years when David lived as a fugitive — hiding in foreign lands, separated from his family, and hunted by his enemies. He knew the ache of isolation and the silence of solitude. Yet even there, God’s hand still guided him and His right hand held him fast.
Lessons from the Far Side
1. God’s presence is not bound by place. He is as real in your wilderness as in your worship.
2. Loneliness can be holy ground. When others leave, God’s presence becomes clearer.
3. Distance can become destiny when God leads the way.
Personal Challenge
If you feel far — from people, from purpose, or from peace — remember this promise:
“Even there Your hand will guide me, and Your right hand will hold me fast.”
Pray: “Lord, even when I can’t feel You, help me rest in the truth that You are holding me.”
Let His grip, not your grasp, define your faith.
CONCLUSION — THE EVEN THERE OF DAVID, THE EVEN HERE OF CHRIST
David marveled that God was present even there — in every direction and condition of life.
But centuries later, that invisible hand became visible when Christ came.
The “Even There of David” became the “Even Here of Christ.”
“And you shall call His name Immanuel, which means ‘God with us.’” — Matthew 1:23
At Bethlehem, God didn’t just reach down from heaven; He stepped into our world.
Into our sin to save us, into our pain to comfort us, into our distance to dwell with us.
So today, whether your life is in the heights or depths, in change or isolation, you can whisper in faith:
“Even here, Lord, You are with me.”
CLOSING PRAYER
“Lord Jesus, thank You that the ‘Even There’ of David became the ‘Even Here’ of Christmas.
You came into our heights and depths, our dawns and distances, to lead and hold us by Your grace.
Help me trust Your hand wherever I am — in success or sorrow, in change or loneliness.
Even here, even now, You are with me. Amen.”
FINAL TAKEAWAY
When you see the manger this Christmas, remember:
God didn’t wait for us to climb to Him — He came down to reach even there,
so He could dwell even here.
The invisible hand that guided David now rests upon you.
“Even there your hand will guide me, and your right hand will hold me fast.” — Psalm 139:10 (NIV)
