Live at the Fillmore

By Andrea Gibbs

Where can I go from your spirit?
From your presence where can I flee?
If I go up to the heavens, you are there;
if I sink to the nether world, you are present there. ~ Psalm 139

I cannot watch the Five Iron Frenzy video, “Every New Day (last show),” without getting teary-eyed. It is just one of those songs that, when it was sung live, you could sure feel the Holy Spirit at work. The atmosphere was electrifying as the band played and the crowd prayed. Halfway through the song, during that final concert, the band’s lead singer jumps down into the crowd, and he sings an impromptu prayer. He chants, “You are not alone! You are not alone! You are not alone! YOU WERE NEVER ALONE!” The intensity of the prayer gets louder and louder as the crowd sings, and the song continues on, begging, “Dear God, increase!”

That feeling of being far from the God we love has been echoed through Church history for thousands of years, long before it was ever prayed at a Christian rock concert. I would imagine the message of God’s omnipresence was as desperately needed to be heard back then just as it is now. Psalm 139 tells us that no matter where we go, and no matter how dark the night, God is there with us. Most of us, or I may argue all of us, have felt far from God at some point and prayed, with earnest, for Him to increase in our life.

The reminder of God’s unfailing presence is calming. I am not alone; you are not alone. We were never alone. God calls out to us through the prayer of the Psalmist. “If I speed away on the wings of the dawn, if I dwell beyond the ocean, even there your hand will be guiding me.” There is no situation ever too far away from His love. God’s promise is eternal— His hand will always be there to guide us.

Prayer

Thank you, Lord, for the reminder of your continued presence in our daily lives. Continue to increase in us an awareness of your manifestation, your love, and your mercy. Help us to be your hands and feet to reach those around us.

Call to Action

Take time to pray for those that are isolated, homebound or disconnected from their loved ones. Ask in prayer for whom God may be asking you to reach out to. Whether it be a phone call, a card sent in the mail, or an impromptu to visit, take time to reach out and remind someone of God’s promise He is always with us.