# V: The Universal Presence explained — The Pursuit of God

> Chapter companion for The Pursuit of God by A. W. Tozer.

## What happens

This chapter explores the doctrine of divine immanence—the truth that God is present everywhere at all times. Tozer distinguishes this from pantheism, emphasizing that God is both transcendent and immanent. He argues that while God is always present, most people are unaware of His presence, and the key to experiencing it is spiritual awareness and surrender. The chapter calls for a return to biblical standards and a deeper, more conscious relationship with God.

## Themes in this chapter

### The Divine Presence

The central theme of the chapter: God is universally present, and the key to Christian experience is becoming aware of that presence.

### Sacred-Secular Integration

Tozer argues that all of life is lived in God's presence, and that awareness transforms every moment into a sacred encounter.

### Critique of Shallow Religion

Tozer criticizes the superficiality of contemporary Christian practice, calling for a return to genuine spiritual depth and biblical standards.

## Character check-ins

### Unknown Narrator

The narrator reflects on the universal presence of God and the human failure to recognize it, urging readers to pursue a deeper awareness.

### David

David is quoted from Psalm 139, celebrating God's omnipresence and the impossibility of escaping His presence.

### Solomon

Solomon is referenced for his acknowledgment that heaven and earth cannot contain God.

### Paul

Paul is cited for his declaration to the Athenians that in God we live, move, and have our being.

### Jacob

Jacob is mentioned for his exclamation after the vision at Bethel: 'Surely the Lord is in this place; and I knew it not.'

### Moses

Moses is referenced as one to whom God revealed His presence, causing his face to shine.

## Key lines

> Whither shall I go from thy spirit? or whither shall I flee from thy presence?

Where can I go to escape Your Spirit? Where can I flee from Your presence?

_Tozer uses David's question to introduce the theme of God's inescapable presence._

> Surely the Lord is in this place; and I knew it not.

God is truly here, and I was not aware of it.

_Jacob's realization illustrates the gap between God's actual presence and human awareness._

> God is not far from any one of us: for in him we live, and move, and have our being.

God is not distant from any of us; in Him we exist and act.

_Paul's statement to the Athenians is used to affirm God's immanence._

## Links

- HTML: https://www.betterreads.online/discover/the_pursuit_of_god_se/chapters/v-the-universal-presence
- Book: https://www.betterreads.online/discover/the_pursuit_of_god_se
- All chapters: https://www.betterreads.online/discover/the_pursuit_of_god_se/chapters