Inhabiting Holy Space

I have had this blog in mind to write for a month now but December was so busy with work that I was unable to dedicate any blog writing time until now and we’re in 2023 already. Happy New Year to you all!

I have been contemplating the incredible fact that once we accept Jesus as our saviour, God is both around (with) us and in us AT THE SAME TIME. Let’s look at some evidence in Scripture for these truths before I go any further.

• God tells Joshua He is with him wherever he goes (Joshua 1: 9) and in the same way, Jesus says He is with us always, even to the end of the age (Matthew 28:20)

• In Jeremiah, God asks, “Can a man hide himself in secret places so that I cannot see him?”...”Do I not fill Heaven and Earth?” (Jeremiah 23:24)

• David, in the Psalms writes, “Where shall I go from your Spirit? Or where shall I flee from your presence?”

• Jesus tells His disciples that after He goes to be with the Father, the Holy Spirit will dwell with them and in them (John 14: 17)

• Later, Jesus tells them to ‘remain in him and He will remain in them (John 15:4)

• Paul also tells the Ephesians that Christ will dwell in their hearts through faith (Ephesians 3:17)

• And to the Corinthians, he says, “Do You not know that you are God’s Temple and that God’s Spirit dwells in you?”

Now I am not smart enough to go into the idea of multiple dimensions occupying the same space but as Christians, we do believe in a spiritual dimension that operates around us. If God is both in us and around us at the same time, it occurred to me that, when we are walking with Him, we are occupying the same space as Him, albeit in a different dimension.

Now this may sound really obvious to some of you, but it kind of blew my mind to think that I am inhabiting Holy Space on my journey of faith; that I am residing in in God’s presence completely. Because of Jesus’ death and resurrection, I have, through grace, been given access to the Father (Ephesians 2: 8 &18) and while at times, I may not make full use of that access, God is both in me and around me all of the time. This revelation has given me a new-found desire to be mindful of His Holiness and to try connect with Him more often; to listen for His voice within me and sense His presence around me.

You know that line from the worship song, ‘closer than a brother’? I never really understood the reference before but God is closer to us than anyone else can be. We move through His presence and yet His presence resides in us too. As another song explains, He is the very air we breathe.

I hope this blog has given you something to think about over the coming weeks. Like I said, this may be old news for you but it never hurts to be reminded of the awesome nature of God and the unfettered access we have been given to Him through His Son.

- Lara