God is to be treasured and adored. Loved and feared. Respected and honored. And when He’s not, the Bible shows us that He will remove Himself from the scenario. That’s what He did when the Ark of the Covenant was captured by the Philistines in 1 Samuel 4. God allowed the holy symbol of His presence to be kidnapped. If we treat God with dishonor and try to use Him for our own purposes as a good luck charm, He can remove Himself. We can lose God’s favor, protection, and blessing. Now His presence is everywhere. But God will remove His manifest presence from your life so that you don’t feel His presence anymore or walk in His blessing.

King David prayed in Psalm 51, take not thy Holy Spirit from me. David saw King Saul lose the anointing of the Holy Spirit and he saw a tormenting spirit take its place. So, David prayed, don’t let that happen to me. Protect me from that, dear Lord. And David wrote this powerful prayer – Make it your prayer.

Create in me a clean heart, O God, And renew a steadfast spirit within me. Do not cast me away from Thy presence, And do not take Thy Holy Spirit from me, Restore to me the joy of Thy salvation, And sustain me with a willing spirit. Psalm 51:10-12 NASB