How can God be everywhere at the same time?

 

God is everywhere at once because His being is not limited by space as ours is. This is known as His "omnipresence." Solomon said, "Behold, heaven and the highest heaven cannot contain you" (1 Kings 8:27). God fills and transcends all space, not by stretching Himself thin like matter, but by being fully present at every point. Jeremiah 23:24 declares, "'Can a man hide himself in secret places so that I cannot see him?' declares the LORD. 'Do I not fill heaven and earth?'"

 

The 1689 London Baptist Confession states that God is "infinite in being and perfection... immense, eternal, incomprehensible" (Ch. 2.1). "Immense" here doesn't mean "very large" but rather "not measurable" by spatial dimensions. Charles Hodge explained that God's omnipresence means "He is equally present with all His creatures, at all times, and in all places." God doesn't move from place to place as we do; His whole being is present everywhere simultaneously without division.

 

John Calvin taught that God's presence "fills heaven and earth" not as if contained by them, but rather as "diffusing His energies throughout" while His essence remains "intact." Calvin saw God's omnipresence as essential to His sovereignty; nothing exists beyond His reach or governance. When we speak of God being "far" or "near," Calvin noted, we describe our experience of Him, not His actual location.

 

Thomas Watson used the analogy of light: just as sunlight touches many places at once, yet remains undivided, so God's presence extends everywhere without being fragmented. Watson emphasized that God is present in His fullness everywhere, not partly here and partly there. His whole being fills heaven, earth, and beyond. For Watson, this truth was both a warning to sinners (who cannot hide) and a comfort to saints (who are never alone).

 

Jonathan Edwards saw God's omnipresence as His "absolute possession of immensity," meaning space itself exists within God rather than God existing within space. This is why God can be simultaneously present in heaven, on earth, and with you personally without diminishment. His omnipresence guarantees His intimate knowledge of all creation and His ability to act directly anywhere.For the believer, God's omnipresence means He is never distant when you pray. He is as close as your next breath, fully present to hear, care, and act. This is not pantheism (which confuses God with creation) but the biblical truth that the personal God is present with His creation while remaining distinct from it. Even when you feel alone, He remains, "For He has said, 'I will never leave you nor forsake you'" (Hebrews 13:5).

 

For Further Reading:

 

The Knowledge of the Holy, A.W. Tozer - Chapter 8 examines God's omnipresence with devotional warmth.

 

Systematic Theology, Charles Hodge - Classic Reformed exploration of God's attributes, including omnipresence.

 

Knowing God, J.I. Packer - See the chapter on God's immensity and omnipresence.

 

The Body of Divinity, Thomas Watson - Puritan treatment of God's omnipresence with practical application.