55. Никуда я от тебя уйти не могу

It happens that a person, for some reason, says to another: “I can’t leave you anywhere.” We hear this word among people, but if we think about it, it is incorrectly attributed to every person, no matter what he is. Since not only from the common man, but also from the kings themselves, although they have long arms, it is possible to escape and hide, which is what we see. Therefore, these words: “I can’t leave you anywhere,” are only fitting for God to speak. We cannot escape from Him, no matter where we run, and we cannot hide anywhere, no matter where we decide to hide. Everywhere He precedes us, wherever we want to run, and He is present there, wherever we want to hide. Are you in your house? God is here. On the way? God does not leave you. Did you come to the apartment? God is here. Are you staying in a city or a village? God is present there. Will you run to the desert or to the ends of the earth? God is there before you. Do you want to hide in the earth or in the depths of the sea? And there He is with you. You think: “Won’t I hide from Him in darkness and night?” No, this shelter is not safe! With us there is day and night, light and darkness, but with God there is no darkness, no night, but all is light and day. The eyes of God are incomparably “brighter than the sun, and look at all human ways, and penetrate into hidden places” (Sir 23:27-28). The psalmist learned that it was impossible to leave or hide from God, and he cried out to Him: “Where will I go from Your Spirit, and where will I run from Your Face? If I ascend to heaven - You are there; If I go to hell, you will be there too. If I lift up my wings in the morning and dwell on the edge of the sea, even there Your hand will lead me, and Your right hand will hold me. And I said: “Perhaps the darkness will hide me.” But the night also is light in my delight, for the night will not be dark from You, and the night will be as bright as the day: as is its darkness, so is its light” * (Ps. 139:7-12). Once upon a time the prophet Jonah fled from the presence of the Lord. But he was restrained by the right hand of God, and saw himself in the belly of a whale, and from there by the same right hand of God he was drawn to earth (Jon. 1:3, 2:1-11). It is impossible to escape or hide from God anywhere. O poor sinner! Where will you run away from the One who is everywhere? And where will you hide from the One who sees everything? Do you know where to run? Flee from His righteousness to His goodness and from His judgment to His mercy. “As is His majesty, such is His mercy” (Sir 2:18). And hide by faith in the holy wounds of Christ. This is the refuge to which Christians resort and where they safely hide from the wrath of God! Oh Jesus! “The sons of men will be safe under the shelter of Your wings” (Ps. 35:8). Like chicks under the wings of a bird, so sinners hide under the shelter of Your goodness and love for mankind. "God! You have been our refuge for generations and generations” (Ps. 89:2). “Come to Me, all you who labor and are heavy laden, and I will give you rest” (Matthew 11:28). Translation by P. Yungerov – Editorial office of “The ABC of Faith” You might be interested in: