playnext.fm

Equipped by the Word · Pastor Rod Holler, Jr.

Where is God? (Part 1 of 2)

April 6, 2026·20 min·1 clip
Pastor Rod Holler Jr. asks if you could be at work and fishing simultaneously, then reveals why that fantasy is impossible.
The episode begins with Pastor Rod Holler Jr. humorously imagining being at work and fishing simultaneously, highlighting human limitations. He then poses the question 'Where is God?' and shares an anecdote about a mischievous boy who, when asked this by a stern clergyman, runs home screaming that God is missing. Pastor Rod answers that God is omnipresent, always everywhere. He turns to Psalm 139:23-24, discussing how the psalmist asks God to search his heart, even though God already knows everything. Pastor Rod explains that people are often reluctant to invite God's scrutiny because they fear what He might reveal. He outlines two main attributes of God from the psalm: omniscience, meaning God knows all things including human motives, and omnipresence, meaning God is everywhere at all times. To illustrate omnipresence, Pastor Rod describes a documentary about wolves in a remote, barren landscape, noting that God sustains even such desolate places. He references Psalm 139:7-10, emphasizing that no one can hide from God, whether in heaven, hell, or the depths of the sea. Pastor Rod shares personal experiences of fishing far out at sea, where only water and sky are visible, to stress God's presence there. He mentions that the same moon seen today was viewed by biblical figures like Moses and Gideon, showing God's timeless handiwork. The episode then introduces Jonah as a biblical example of someone trying to flee from God, with Pastor Rod reading Jonah 1:1-3 about Jonah going to Tarshish instead of Nineveh. He notes that Jonah sought to escape Jehovah's presence, setting up a cliffhanger for Part 2. The episode is structured as a sermon, blending personal stories, scriptural analysis, and practical applications for Christian living.

As heard by us

Psalm 139, worked through with a cubicle joke, a fishing daydream, and God's nearness.

Psalm 139 anchors this message, with Pastor Rod Holler Jr. pressing the question of whether anyone can get away from God and answering it through God's knowledge and presence.

Read the full review in PlayNext →

Why you'd press play

If you have ever wished for a third hand, this one heads straight into Psalm 139.

Read the full recommendation in PlayNext →
Listen to the show on
Apple PodcastsSpotify
Play clips from this episodeMore from Equipped by the Word