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Practicing Consistent Awareness of God's Love and Presence

Consistent awareness of God's love and presence is a recurring theme in Christian scripture and theological reflection, often linked to spiritual diligence and perseverance. This awareness is not merely intellectual assent but an active, sustained engagement with God's character and actions [11].

The biblical call to maintain this awareness is evident in various exhortations. Paul, for instance, prays that the love of believers would "abound yet more and more in knowledge and all discernment" (Philippians 1:9) [1]. He also urges the Colossians to "continue steadfastly in prayer, watching therein with thanksgiving" (Colossians 4:2) [2]. Paul himself serves as an example, testifying that God is his witness "how constantly I remember you" (Romans 1:9 BSB) [3]. Similarly, the apostle John emphasizes the reciprocal indwelling that occurs when one remains in God's love: "We know and have believed the love which God has for us. God is love, and he who remains in love remains in God, and God remains in him" (1 John 4:16) [4]. This suggests that an ongoing recognition of God's love is integral to a sustained relationship with Him. The concept of maintaining an "unoffending conscience, towards God and men, continually" (Acts 24:16 Rotherham) further underscores the idea of constant spiritual vigilance [5].

The nature of God's love and presence, which believers are encouraged to be aware of, is described in rich terms. Torrey's Topical Textbook compiles numerous scriptural references highlighting God's love as a part of His character, sovereign, great, abiding, unfailing, unalienable, constraining, and everlasting [6]. This love is manifested towards perishing sinners, His saints, the destitute, and the cheerful giver [6]. The "loving-kindness of God" is similarly described as great, excellent, good, marvelous, multitudinous, everlasting, and merciful, extended through Christ [7]. John Gill, commenting on Psalm 25:6, interprets "tender mercies and thy loving kindnesses" not merely as providential care but as "special mercy, grace, and love of God in Christ," emphasizing its abundance and various acts [10].

Maintaining this awareness requires diligence and perseverance. Torrey's Topical Textbook lists diligence as a requirement from God in seeking Him, obeying Him, hearkening to Him, striving after perfection, cultivating Christian graces, keeping the soul and heart, and engaging in "labours of love" [8]. Perseverance is presented as an evidence of reconciliation with God and belonging to Christ, to be manifested in seeking God, waiting upon Him, prayer, and well-doing [9]. This perseverance is maintained through the power of God and Christ, and Christ's intercession [9]. Adam Clarke, in his commentary on Jude 1:21, connects keeping oneself "in the love of God" with building up faith and praying in the Holy Ghost, noting that this diligence is not for merit but still requires looking "for the Mercy of the Lord Jesus Christ, to bring them to Eternal Life" [13]. John Gill, on the same verse, suggests that keeping oneself in the love of God means to "set it always before them, to keep it constantly in view, to exercise faith on it, firmly believing their interest in it; as also to meditate on it, give themselves up wholly to the contemplation of it, and employ their thoughts constantly about it" [12].

The concept of "watching" or "keeping watch" is also tied to this consistent awareness. Tyndale House on Matthew 24:42 interprets "to keep watch" as maintaining "active, energetic, single-minded obedience to the Lord" [14]. This active obedience stems from a continuous recognition of God's presence and His will. Matthew Henry, in his commentary on Proverbs 3:1, teaches that believers "must have a continual regard to God's precepts" and "fix God's law, and his commandments, as our rule, by which we will in every thing be ruled and to which we will yield obedience" [11]. This implies that awareness of God's presence is intrinsically linked to a life lived in conscious submission to His commands.

Sources

  1. Philippians “This I pray, that your love may abound yet more and more in knowledge and all discernment; -- Philippians 1:9”
  2. Colossians “Continue steadfastly in prayer, watching therein with thanksgiving; -- Colossians 4:2”
  3. Romans “Romans 1:9 (BSB) — God, whom I serve with my spirit in preaching the gospel of His Son, is my witness how constantly I remember you”
  4. 1 John “We know and have believed the love which God has for us. God is love, and he who remains in love remains in God, and God remains in him. -- 1 John 4:16”
  5. Acts “Acts 24:16 (Rotherham) — herein, even I, myself, am studying to have, an unoffending conscience, towards God and men, continually.”
  6. Torrey's Topical Textbook “Torrey's Topical Textbook: Love of God, The — Is a part of his character -- 2Co 13:11; 1Jo 4:8. Christ, the especial object of -- Joh 15:9; 17:26. Christ abides in -- Joh 15:10. Described as Sovereign. -- De 7:8; 10:15. Great. -- Eph 2:4. Abiding. -- Zep 3:17. Unfailing. -- Isa 49:15,16. Unalienable. -- Ro 8:39. Constraining. -- Ho 11:4. Everlasting. -- Jer 31:3. Irrespective of merit -- De 7:7; Job 7:17. Manifested towards Perishing sinners. -- Joh 3:16; Tit 3:4. His saints. -- Joh 16:27; 17:23; 2Th 2:16; 1Jo 4:16. The destitute. -- De 10:18. The cheerful giver. -- 2Co 9:7. Exhibited in The g”
  7. Torrey's Topical Textbook “Torrey's Topical Textbook: Loving-Kindness of God, The — Is through Christ -- Eph 2:7; Tit 3:4-6. Described as Great. -- Ne 9:17. Excellent. -- Ps 36:7. Good. -- Ps 69:16. Marvellous. -- Ps 17:7; 31:21. Multitudinous. -- Isa 63:7. Everlasting. -- Isa 54:8. Merciful. -- Ps 117:2. Better than life. -- Ps 63:3. Consideration of the dealings of God gives a knowledge of -- Ps 107:43. Saints Betrothed in. -- Ho 2:19. Drawn by. -- Jer 31:3. Preserved by. -- Ps 40:11. Quickened after. -- Ps 119:88. Comforted by. -- Ps 119:76. Look for mercy through. -- Ps 51:1. Receive mercy through. -- Isa 54:8. Are ”
  8. Torrey's Topical Textbook “Torrey's Topical Textbook: Diligence — Christ, an example -- Mr 1:35; Lu 2:49. Required by God in Seeking him. -- 1Ch 22:19; Heb 11:6. Obeying him. -- De 6:17; 11:13. Hearkening to him. -- Isa 55:2. Striving after perfection. -- Php 3:13,14. Cultivating Christian graces. -- 2Pe 1:5. Keeping the souls. -- De 4:9. Keeping the heart. -- Pr 4:23. Labours of love. -- Heb 6:10-12. Following every good work. -- 1Ti 5:10. Guarding against defilement. -- Heb 12:15. Seeking to be found spotless. -- 2Pe 3:14. Making our call, &c, sure. -- 2Pe 1:10. Self-examination. -- Ps 77:6. Lawful business. -- Pr 27:”
  9. Torrey's Topical Textbook “Torrey's Topical Textbook: Perseverance — An evidence of reconciliation with God -- Col 1:21-23. An evidence of belonging to Christ -- Joh 8:31; Heb 3:6,14. A characteristic of saints -- Pr 4:18. To be manifested in Seeking God. -- 1Ch 16:11. Waiting upon god. -- Ho 12:6. Prayer. -- Ro 12:12; Eph 6:18. Well-doing. -- Ro 2:7; 2Th 3:13. Continuing in the faith. -- Ac 14:22; Col 1:23; 2Ti 4:7. Holding fast hope. -- Heb 3:6. Maintained through The power of God. -- Ps 37:24; Php 1:6. The power of Christ. -- Joh 10:28. The intercession of Christ. -- Lu 22:31,32; Joh 17:11. The fear of God. -- Jer 32”
  10. Psalms (Baptist/Reformed) “John Gill on Psalms 25:6: Remember, O Lord, thy tender mercies and thy loving kindnesses,.... Not the providential mercy and kindness of God, in the care of him in his mother's womb, at the time of his birth, in his nurture and education, and in the preservation of him to the present time; but the special mercy, grace, and love of God in Christ: the sense of the petition is the same with that of Psa 106:4; which are expressed in the plural number, because of the largeness and abundance of it, and because of the various acts and instances of it; the Lord is rich and plenteous in mercy, abundant”
  11. Proverbs (Nonconformist/Puritan) “Matthew Henry on Proverbs 3:1: We are here taught to live a life of communion with God; and without controversy great is this mystery of godliness, and of great consequence to us, and, as is here shown, will be of unspeakable advantage. I. We must have a continual regard to God's precepts, Pro 3:1, Pro 3:2. 1. We must, (1.) Fix God's law, and his commandments, as our rule, by which we will in every thing be ruled and to which we will yield obedience. (2.) We must acquaint ourselves with them; for we cannot be said to forget that which we never knew. (3.) We must remember them so that they may ”
  12. Jude (Baptist/Reformed) “John Gill on Jude 1:21: Keep yourselves in the love of God,.... By which may be meant either the grace and favour of God, that love with which God loves his people; and then the exhortation to the saints to keep themselves in it is, to set it always before them, to keep it constantly in view, to exercise faith on it, firmly believing their interest in it; as also to meditate on it, give themselves up wholly to the contemplation of it, and employ their thoughts constantly about it, which is the foundation of all grace here, and glory hereafter; or to preserve themselves by it, for so the words ”
  13. Jude (Methodist/Wesleyan) “Adam Clarke on Jude 1:21: Keep yourselves in the love of God - By building up yourselves on your most holy faith, and praying in the Holy Ghost; for without this we shall soon lose the love of God. Looking for the mercy of our Lord - For although they were to build themselves up, and to pray in the Holy Ghost, and keep themselves in the love of God, yet this building, praying, and keeping, cannot merit heaven; for, after all their diligence, earnestness, self-denial, watching, obedience, etc., they must look for the Mercy of the Lord Jesus Christ, to bring them to Eternal Life.”
  14. Matthew (Protestant academic) “Tyndale House on Matthew 24:42: 24:42 To keep watch is to maintain active, energetic, single-minded obedience to the Lord (see 25:13; 26:38-41).”
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