Presence

When I was invited to speak at Bethany Church months ago, the following title came immediately to mind: "Chasing the Moments and Being Grateful" .... for life and all that is within its bounds! That speaking engagement date is today! I pray often for God to lead my thoughts, but especially when I am invited to speak.  I have learned to trust that the stories and applications that he sees fit to incorporate will emerge according to His timing. And sure enough in the quietness of the night, I began to see some of those thoughts unravel. 

When I first considered "Chasing the Moments", I was thinking fun, like field trips with grand babies, or Whataburger with a friend or boat rides in the lake, but God eased my thoughts in a different direction. Chasing to me is running after something; moms chasing kids, dreamers chasing dreams, athletes chasing opponents, playground chase games, etc. But then the visual of chasing butterflies came to mind! Ok I know that's so random but this is what occurred to me. Butterflies are illusive. They are but a breath away in flight and yet they have an appealing sence of wonder when we see them dressed in the beauty of the creator and dancing on the colors that are flowered about them.

Children chase them but seldom ever catch them. But what they do catch is the essence of their very presence! Presence... that's it! That is what God wants us to do: to chase His moments and capture the very essence of His presence, and then to be grateful for life itself no matter what trials or blessings that lie in between! When we talk about experiencing the presence of the Lord, we are really talking about the realization of abiding in God’s presence, of being able to perceive His presence and becoming conscious of Him. For when we  increase our awareness of His presence,  it is an increase of His presence itself; not because God has changed but we have chosen to activate His very presence that is before us.

If we truly embrace the fact that in all our moments God is present, that is when the essence of his power, his strength. His wisdom, his faithfulness and his grace prevail in our lives! God is with us always, in all our moments! We can chase Him with our net of requests, complaints and questions but we will never be able to contain him because he is illusive in his infinite power and authority and yet, he leaves behind the reality of his presence wherever he goes! The manifest presence of God is what unveils his power to us. It is the manifest presence of God that changes lives and reveals the glory of God.

Trails and blessings and all the in betweens is what life is made of... Duh! But if we just go about life without consideration of God's moment by moment involvement, we miss out on the beauty of acknowledging our security through his presence!

   

1) God is omnipresent....he is everywhere at all times - Psalm 139:7

2) God is indwelling ....you are God's temple and God's Spirit has a permanent dwelling in you.  1 Corinthians 3:16 

3) God revels himself to those who earnestly seek him. Deuteronomy 4:29 If we want to  walk in the presence of the Lord then we need to be practicing the presence of God.   

4) When we go to a quiet place and make room for God in our hearts and speak praises and adoration for his mighty ways, we increase our awareness of being in his presence.

God has promised that if we draw near to him he will draw near to us, thus his very presence will be manifested unto us. James 4:8

5)" If you abide in Me and My words abide in you, you will ask whatever you will and it shall be done for you".  If we do this then we are asking according to the father's will and not our own.  Jesus is always present with his word and abiding in his word will increase the sense of his presence. 

1 John 4:13 

I have been in spots where I knew without a doubt that God was standing beside me.  You have been there too.  But looking back at those times, it is when I opened the door to my heart and begged him to join me in my trials or my sadness or my gut wrenching decision making chambers.  I invited him in.  I sought him.  I needed him.  I was dependent on Him, and no earthly man or wisdom would suffice.  I needed the real deal, the constant deal.  I needed God himself to guide me or comfort me or give me courage and strength to forge ahead. And his very presence was manifested and I knew I was not alone. That security of presence is available to us 24/7, all we have to do is ask and seek his heavenly involvement, and then trust him and obey him in all circumstances.  (I know that obey thing is not so easy.

But there is something about knowing that we consciously have solicited God's help that gives us the courage and strength to walk down a right path, even when we don't want to and our flesh is screaming....no.)    

If only we would stay in tune to His presence.  The gift of the moment by moment life involvement that God has offered to navigate and coordinate through his son Jesus is before us.  I can chase God and run to him and run at him but I will never be able to contain him.  For his glorious presence hovers over all the universe. If I truly want to experience it personally, all I have to do is look around at the traces that he is leaving moment by moment on my life and be grateful, so grateful for the mighty encounter that I have with God when I am still and recognize his presence.  

In all our blessings, in all our trails and all the in-betweens, God's presence remains steadfast and faithful. Blessed are we who know him, who depend on Him, who call on him and who recognize his mighty presence. 

Dear Lord, may your presence be manifested in all of our lives as we open the doors of our hearts and invite you moment by moment to be on board. Amen 

Praise God wherever you are or whatever situation he has allowed you to be in, for his glory will shine through.