05/12/2025
Are there situations and places where we don't feel at home with God? This is my morning thought. Our goal in faith should be to remain comfortably in the presence of God wherever we are and in whatever circumstance we find ourselves in... So how do we get there? It is easy to walk with Him when all is going well in our lives of faith and we are not experiencing spiritual challenges, but what about those times when we are facing storms and temptations?
God is at home everywhere, so no matter where we are, the discomfort that we might feel is ours, and not his. There is a wonderful passage of scripture in Psalms 139 that will help us in this regard if we will keep it in the forefront of our minds. Let’s listen to it and then carry its truth with us always…
“Where shall I go from your Spirit? Or where shall I flee from your presence? If I ascend to heaven, you are there! If I make my bed in Sheol, you are there! If I take the wings of the morning and dwell in the uttermost parts of the sea, even there your hand shall lead me, and your right hand shall hold me. If I say, "Surely the darkness shall cover me, and the light about me be night," even the darkness is not dark to you; the night is bright as the day, for darkness is as light with you. For you formed my inward parts; you knitted me together in my mother's womb. I praise you, for I am fearfully and wonderfully made. Wonderful are your works; my soul knows it very well.”
Psalms 139:7-14 ESV
Mother Theresa went into the slums of Calcutta where children were starving, sick, being abused and used as sex slaves; and where many other horrible sins and atrocities found a home for themselves. She dealt with people whose spiritual and physical sicknesses should have caused her concern for her own spiritual health as she faced the contagion of sin there... yet she kept safely focused on her calling because she took comfort in the fact that God was there with her. She was comfortable despite where she found herself because she was never alone. This is the comfort we should all possess as we go about our lives and answering God’s call.
We find the best example of how to fend off the sin that surrounds us by looking to Jesus who didn't fear or stray away from sinners. No, He confronted them with love, grace, mercy, God’s Word, and forgiveness. He even went so far as to visit and dine with them in their homes. Jesus was comfortable there because God was with Him wherever He was at. Healing the spiritually sick was His primary mission, and He did this so that they could be reconciled with God and walk comfortably with Him.
“And as Jesus reclined at table in the house, behold, many tax collectors and sinners came and were reclining with Jesus and his disciples. And when the Pharisees saw this, they said to his disciples, "Why does your teacher eat with tax collectors and sinners?" But when he heard it, he said, "Those who are well have no need of a physician, but those who are sick.”
Matthew 9:10-12 ESV
When Jesus sent His disciples out to witness to Israel, He sent them without money or any means of earthly provision, he didn't tell them to go to the city gates and listen for an angel to tell them whether it was safe to enter or not... He told them to go in and speak to them.
“And whatever town or village you enter, find out who is worthy in it and stay there until you depart. As you enter the house, greet it. And if the house is worthy, let your peace come upon it, but if it is not worthy, let your peace return to you. And if anyone will not receive you or listen to your words, shake off the dust from your feet when you leave that house or town.”
Matthew 10:11-14 ESV
Are there things we are uncomfortable with as we go abbot answering God’s call? Why certainly there are! But there should never be anything that makes us uncomfortable before God unless our spirits aren't right, or we have succumbed to temptation. Being called to a place where sin abounds can make us feel physically and spiritually uncomfortable, but the root of that discomfort is usually our fear, our pride in faith, or a worry about our having sufficiently conquered the sins we will face there. God tells us to "fear not", instructs us in humility, and also gives us the ability to defeat our own temptation to sin. So, we should be comfortable wherever He sends us, and know that wherever we are He is right there with us, and His Spirit will guide us as we speak, pray, and otherwise interact with those who are sick there.
Once I read a pastor’s message that said there were places we should not pray... I took great exception to that idea. Jesus prayed with sinners, and He prayed from the cross where He had taken on the sins of the world! Why would we not pray in the face of sickness and sin? There is no reason that can keep us from healing those who are sick or in sin and, no cause for discomfort while we do the Lord’s work… because we are in His presence and doing His bidding.
“Is anyone among you sick? Let him call for the elders of the church, and let them pray over him, anointing him with oil in the name of the Lord. And the prayer of faith will save the one who is sick, and the Lord will raise him up. And if he has committed sins, he will be forgiven.”
James 5:14-15 ESV
I have come to the conclusion that there may be sins that make us uncomfortable, but there is never a cause for us to feel uncomfortable before God unless we ourselves are the sinners (like Adam and Eve when they hid themselves in the Garden of Eden). If God is with us in all places, then we should feel at ease being there with Him. God often calls us out of our comfort zones, but we should never feel uncomfortable there because we are with Him when He does do. Stay confident in faith, focused on the Father, and let no sin tempt you beyond your ability to withstand it... because He is there with you always and victorious in all things. He gives us His Holy Word to combat our temptation just like He did Jesus when Satan was tempting Him.
So, are we ready to face sin and sinners? Well let’s pray, study the Word, and open our hearts to the Holy Spirit’s guidance as we walk in those places that are spiritually and physically dangerous, because God sends us there, and we are doing His will. It is His desire that none should be lost, and we are answering this call.
“So it is not the will of my Father who is in heaven that one of these little ones should perish.”
Matthew 18:14 ESV
Prayer:
Father, I thank you for your presence in my life; for no matter where I am, nor what sin confronts me... you are there. Holy Father, keep me righteous in the most sinful of places and in the face of all temptation. Lead me as I am praying your Word for the lost, and as I heal the suffering of the infirmed. Let no sin or disease cause me discomfort, and let neither my pride, fear, or lack of confidence in my belief and faith bring me shame and humiliation as I stand before you. Holy, Holy, Holy, are you my God, and your Word keeps me safe, even as your Son Jesus Christ redeems me from my own sins. Most Gracious Father, lead me into those dark places where you would have me go to retrieve a wayward soul, and give me the words that will light up the lives of the lost I find there with the realization of who you are, and of your loving presence. Lord, you are worthy of all praise, honor, and adoration. Your mercy and patience abound as you stand by me in the company of sinners and tax collectors. Your mercy and grace have led me from my own life of sin to the foot of the cross, given me ears to hear the gospel of Jesus, and then redeemed me by His blood. Help me now Holy Father as you send me to deliver the same gospel that once saved me to others who stand lost and unaware of your presence as I did… blind to the fact that that you are there and have always been there waiting. Help me show them the love you have for them, and that your mercy, grace, and forgiveness are true and available to the worst of them. Holy are you who sent your Son Jesus to defeat sin and death so that we might live and be made righteous… worthy and pleasing to you forevermore. Holy are you who comes to us, reveals yourself to us, and saves us, even though we are yet sinners, and like the Apostle Paul, can claim ourselves to be the worst of them.
“The saying is trustworthy and deserving of full acceptance, that Christ Jesus came into the world to save sinners, of whom I am the foremost.”
1 Timothy 1:15 ESV
“fear not, for I am with you;
be not dismayed, for I am your God;
I will strengthen you, I will help you,
I will uphold you with my righteous right hand.”
Isaiah 41:10 ESV
“Go therefore and make disciples of all nations, baptizing them in the name of the Father and of the Son and of the Holy Spirit, teaching them to observe all that I have commanded you. And behold, I am with you always, to the end of the age.”
Matthew 28:19-20 ESV
Rich Forbes