And I’ve been thinking about how God is never not with us.
About seven and a half years ago my family and I were at Portland Timbers game (a professional soccer team), when my 6 year old daughter looked at me in the contest’s 92nd minutes and asked me, “One day will I get to see God and not his invisible face?”
I think she got it right. She did not ask me this question believing God was missing, she asked because she knew that God was with us, just not visible to her.
If we truly believe God is who he says he is, then we know there has never been a time without his presence. God is always present, just not in ways we might expect.
I never thought to ask if she saw his invisible face at the game that night, but I wish I had.
In Isaiah 12:2-6, the third passage from Sunday’s Advent texts, the prophet calls the nation of Israel to worship the saving God who had never left their side.
Isaiah points to God’s liberating power and how He draws water for his people from the springs of deliverance. These themes would have called his hearers back to the exodus story. Recalling how He not only saved them from slavery, but also satisfied their thirst. His presence remaining with them the entire time.
He was near enough to save and present enough to speak. He was even close enough to give them a drink.
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Jason Martin 