God Is Omniscient, Omnipotent, and Omnipresent
There are a lot of big words in today's title, but the concept is quite simple. These are three different characteristics of God, but I wanted to deal with them in one post because they are somewhat related.
Omniscient means all-knowing. Psalm 139 does an excellent job describing this characteristic.
O Lord, thou hast searched me, and known me. Thou knowest my downsitting and mine uprising, thou understandest my thought afar off. Thou compassest my path and my lying down, and art acquainted with all my ways. For there is not a word in my tongue, but, lo, O LORD, thou knowest it altogether. Thou hast beset me behind and before, and laid thine hand upon me. Such knowledge is too wonderful for me; it is high, I cannot attain unto it. (vs. 1-6)
This passage reminds us that God knows everything we say and everything we think. Nothing is hidden from Him. This is both an assurance and a compelling thought. It encourages me to know that God knows what I need or what I'm trying to say when I just can't find the words to utter my request. However, remembering that God knows all things also compels me to watch what I think and say.
Omnipotent means all-powerful. Flip through the pages of Scripture and you'll find one fantastic feat after another. There is absolutely nothing that God can't do. He can move mountains. He can divide seas. He can kill giants with a small shepherd boy and a rock. He can command the winds and the seas. He can heal the sick and raise the dead. He can do it all. Here are a few of my favorite verses dealing with God's omnipotence:
But Jesus beheld them, and said unto them, With men this is impossible; but with God all things are possible. - Matthew 19:26 And Jesus looking upon them saith, With men it is impossible, but not with God: for with God all things are possible. - Mark 10:27 For with God nothing shall be impossible. - Luke 1:37 And he said, The things which are impossible with men are possible with God. - Luke 18:27
Lastly, omnipresent means all-present. This doesn't only mean that God is present everywhere, but it also means that God is present all the time. This can be very confusing, and to be honest, I can't fully wrap my brain around it, but time has no meaning to God. He is beyond time. Right now, God is in the present, the past, and the future. Strange, huh? Consider what He said in the book of John, Verily, verily, I say unto you, Before Abraham was, I am. Huh? I told you it was confusing.
The important thing to remember is that God is everywhere all the time. If we go to places we shouldn't go, God is there too. He sees where we are. Psalm 139 deals with this characteristic a little too.
Whither shall I go from thy spirit? or whither shall I flee from thy presence? If I ascend up into heaven, thou art there: if I make my bed in hell, behold, thou art there. If I take the wings of the morning, and dwell in the uttermost parts of the sea; Even there shall thy hand lead me, and thy right hand shall hold me. (vs. 7-10)
There is no "getting away" from God. There is no hiding from God. Ask Adam and Eve or Jonah or Elijah? God sees where we are, whether it's good or bad. He is everywhere. Again, this should compel us to visit the right places, but it should also serve as an encouragement to know that no matter how lonely we feel, we're never alone. God is always with us just like He promised.
