The Lord Is There

Psalm 16:11 NKJV, “You will show me the path of life; In Your presence is fullness of joy; At Your right hand are pleasures forevermore.”

At the start of the year, I shared that my phrase for 2026 was, “Choose Jesus, Embrace Joy” and that Psalm 16:11 is the scripture that inspired my phrase.  I mentioned that I was looking forward to learning more about choosing Jesus and embracing the joy that comes from abiding in His Presence. 

In my personal Bible study, I  just finished reading through the book of Leviticus, and Leviticus is a book that will certainly remind us of the gift that Jesus is. When I think of the presence of God and the freedom we have through Jesus Christ to enter into His presence and abide in Him, my heart overflows with thanksgiving and joy. The truth that a holy God would choose to live within us through His Spirit is mindblowing (1 Corinthians 6:19-20). These things are proof that God desires to be intimate with us. We never have to be without Him. He wants to commune with us daily and reveal Himself to us as we seek Him. He is not a far away distant God, but He is always with us, fully present. He is Jehovah Shammah, which means “The Lord is There.” 

As God has been teaching me more about His presence, He has been showing me that when I spend time in His presence, He gives me exactly what I need. His presence is greater than my greatest needs, desires or worries. Who He is surpasses anything or anyone. His presence is not just where we go to petition for blessings, He himself is the blessing. There is no end to what God can do when we spend time with Him. His presence restores us, comforts us, delivers us from fear, protects us, teaches us, convicts us and changes us. When we spend time in the presence of Almighty God, we learn that He is more than enough. He gives us the fullness of joy we need to continue our journey here on Earth, no matter the circumstances.

I have had times where I anxiously entered God’s presence, full of cares or worries, feeling drained from life, with a list of prayer requests. But as I enter, I can feel Him gently reminding me to just be still and take time to enjoy His presence and the blessings it alone can bring. Of course, God wants to hear what’s on our hearts and He tells us to make our requests known with thanksgiving (Philippians 4:6) but He also wants us to remember that His presence is our greatest need. He is our refuge and strength. 

I pray you find great comfort in knowing that God is with you. Below are some verses for reflection. God bless you.

1 Chronicles 16:11 ESV

Seek the LORD and his strength; seek his presence continually!

Ps 37:7 NLT

Be still in the presence of the LORD, and wait patiently for him to act. Don’t worry about evil people who prosper or fret about their wicked schemes.

Ps 46:10 ESV

Be still, and know that I am God; I will be exalted among the nations, I will be exalted in the earth!

Ps 91:1-2 NKJV

He who dwells in the secret place of the Most High Shall abide under the shadow of the Almighty.  I will say of the LORD, “He is my refuge and my fortress; My God, in Him I will trust.”

Ezekiel 48:35 NKJV

…The Lord is there.