Blue Berry Candles and Urine

Did the title spark your interest? It's about the OMNIPRESENCE of God! Yeah...I know...you think it's impossible to tie this into that. It may not be a great example, by hang in there with me...IT WORKED!

Last night during our short family devotions, there was a question asked: "Since God is everywhere, how can demons and evil spirits be somewhere?"

This morning, my son and I were sipping on java together reading the Bible, praying and talking about our vision as a family. He reminded me of this question and said it went unanswered. I was more awake this morning and thought of an example to help better explain God's presence being everywhere and the presence of a demon or an evil spirit. It doesn't seem that God's Holy Presence would allow an evil presence. So, I took a stab at it:

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You know how awesome that blue berry candle smells? Well, let's say that there are blue berry candles in every room and every closet in this house. WOW what a smell...right? It is SO thick that you smell it everywhere you go inside the house.

Oops! One of the little ones peed in the bed overnight...soaked the sheet, pillow case and clothing. You know that if you are in the Kitchen and the overnight accident happened in the bedroom that ALL you are smelling is that awesome blue berry candle and that is what you mind is fixated on. On the other hand, the closer to the bedroom you get, the better you can smell "the accident". If you get right up to it...only centimeters away, you probably won't be able to smell blue berry any longer.

Does this "fact" mean that the blue berry scent is no longer present? No longer in the room? No. If my nose is only centimeters from the urine soaked sheet what have I fixed my mind on? You scored a 100% if you answered, 'the urine'. My mind is telling me that the blue berry scent went away. However, proof that it didn't would be evident by removing everything from the room that got soaked. Only minutes later, stick you nose in the same room and what will you smell? Blue Berry! it never went away. It was there all the time. We just allowed something else to "take it's place" in our minds.

so, whatever happened when we removed the soaked stuff from the bedroom? Well, as it was carried through the hallway, through the living and dining rooms, through the kitchen and into the laundry room...the urine smell left a trail. Again, did the blue berry leave? No...it is still there. In the laundry room, with a little water and laundry soap in a washing machine, that urine will be washed out.

The Presence of God is everywhere at all times. Sometimes an evil spirit (urine!) will lurk about. If I totally fix my mind on that evil presence, I minimize (in my mind) the presence of Almighty God. If I fix my eyes and mind on God, I can be aware of His Holy Presence at the same time I am aware of an evil presence and instead of devoting too much focus on the evil presence...I can just gather it up and send it through the washing machine (Word of God, Prayer, Singing) and be done with it. Some anoint their house will oil. We have done that and continue to do so now and then...but here again, if my focus is on the oil instead of on the almighty power of God, am I making the oil into a lucky rabbit's foot?

Anointing oil is another topic altogether. The point is, GOD is GOD and the power is in HIM. HE IS POWER. He has given us several places in the Scriptures where we can find hope and peace when it comes to evil spirits and God's holy Presence. here are a few below.

"Where can I go from your Spirit? Where can I flee from your presence? If I go up to the heavens, you are there; if I make my bed in the depths, you are there. If I rise on the wings of the dawn, if I settle on the far side of the sea, even there your hand will guide me, your right hand will hold me fast. If I say, 'Surely the darkness will hide me and the light become night around me,' even the darkness will not be dark to you; the night will shine like the day, for darkness is as light to you" (Ps. 139:7-12).

"Since, then, you have been raised with Christ, set your hearts on things above, where Christ is seated at the right hand of God. Set your minds on things above, not on earthly things. For you died, and your life is now hidden with Christ in God." (Col 3:1-4)

OK...so this was my lame attempt to help my son understand how God CAN (and is) everywhere at all times....even when it doesn't "smell" like it.

It accomplished what it was intended to accomplish...he now understands how it can be true.

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And yet another topic - God is not present (contained) in "earthly space". See:

"'Can anyone hide in secret places so that I cannot see him?' declares the LORD. 'Do not I fill heaven and earth?' declares the LORD" (Jer. 23:24).

"But will God really dwell on earth? The heavens, even the highest heaven, cannot contain you. How much less this temple I have built!" (1 Kings 8:27; see also 2 Chron. 2:6; Isa. 66 :1).

"And God placed all things under his feet and appointed him to be head over everything for the church) which is his body, the fullness of him who fills everything in every way" (Eph. 1:22-23).

"For in him we live and move and have our being" (Acts l7.28a).

"He is before all things, and in him all things hold together" (Col. 1:17).

"Look down from heaven, your holy dwelling place, and bless your people Israel and the land you have given us as you promised on oath to our forefathers, a land flowing with milk and honey" (Deut. 26:15).

"From heaven the LORD looks down and sees all mankind; from his dwelling place he watches all who live on earth" (Ps. 33:13-14; see also Ps. 11:4; 115:3).