He is “There”
Jehovah Shammah – The Lord is There
I love camping! Particularly in places outside of the city, where the air is fresh, the fire can roar without concern of the smoke encroaching on the neighbours, and the stars in the night sky are brightest. It is places like this where I feel closest to God, and where the name of God is most appropriate, Jehovah Shammah, The Lord is there! But it also applies at home, in every place, every moment, every breath; He is there.
Jehovah Shammah, the Hebrew for “The LORD is there” first appears at the end of the epic book that is Ezekiel. The closing statement of the book declares hope and a restored Jerusalem
“And the name of the city from that day shall be “the LORD is there”. Ezekiel 48:35
It’s a powerful conclusion. After chapters of judgment, lament, and visions of redemption, the final word over the city is his presence. This was important for the Hebrew people, particularly in light of their history of walking with and then turning away from God. Not punishment. Not absence. But hope and His presence.
The theme of God’s nearness runs throughout Scripture. In Genesis 28:16, Jacob, waking from a dream of heaven’s ladder, says, “Surely the Lord is in this place, and I was not aware of it.” And in Exodus 33:14, God tells Moses, “My Presence will go with you, and I will give you rest.”
Then Jesus himself promises in Matthew 28 “and surely I will be with you (there) even to the end of the age”.
Jehovah Shammah is a promise to us. He has gone ahead of us. He is there.
He is there in the joy of a newborn, a wedding day, a new morning, and the quiet relief of evening after a long day.
He is there when the long awaited answer to prayer finally arrives.
He is there when it doesn’t
He is there in the confusion of a difficult decision.
He is there in heartbreak, in grief, in struggle.
He is there in the hospital room, the tough news, the long dark night.
He is the whisper of confidence in you, in the inhale and exhale of air into your lungs, and in each step forward toward another step. He is there when the song won’t carry and your arms find it hard to rise to worship. In the gap between battle and victory, know that the promise of God still stands for you.
Jehovah Shammah…..HE IS THERE waiting for you.
-John Newsome