old paths where the good way
is timeless truth from the bible christian teaching thought and
meditations from prior times read by missionary to africa
james robinette A meditation by Richard Sibbes, based upon
Psalm 26, verse 8. O Lord, I love the habitation
of your house, and the place where your glory dwells. Heaven
would not be heaven without the presence of God. The presence
of God in a dungeon, in a lion's den, makes it a paradise, a place
of pleasure, The presence of God makes all conditions comfortable. If there be not the presence
of God, the greatest comfort in the world is nothing. What
makes the Church longed for by holy men? God is present there. Wherever God is present in the
communion of the saints, they must be esteemed simply because
of His presence. What makes hell to be hell? There
is no presence of God there. No testimony of His presence
in hell. Nothing but utter darkness. Matthew
8, verse 12. What makes the life of man comfortable? There is some presence of God
in everything. There is a presence of God in
meat, in drink, in friends, that a man may say, ìOh, here is a
good God. Here is some presence of God.î
There is not the vilest reprobate in the world, but he has some
testimony of Godís presence. He tastes of God in somewhat
or other, though he sees not God in it, yet God shows Himself
to him in some comfort. But when God will remove all
his presence from a man, that is hell itself. What is hell
but where there is no presence of God? When there is no communion
with the chief good, that man is in darkness and horror, which
is hell, as we see in the story of the rich man and Lazarus,
Luke chapter 16. It is the presence of God that
makes things comfortable. that is heaven, to enjoy nearer
and nearer communion with God. Therefore, let us labor to enjoy
the presence of God in His ordinances, that we may have a heaven upon
earth, that we may desire still more and more to delight in them,
until we come to heaven where all desires will be accomplished. David, knowing that God was present
in his temple, said, ìOh, that I might dwell in the house of
God all the days of my lifeî.
God's Presence Comforts Psalm 26:8 by Richard Sibbes