Pastor’s Corner: “Daily Presence”
Exodus 33:14 (NIV) – 14 The Lord replied, “My Presence will go with you, and I will give you rest.”
As Christians, how can we honor God in this world and at this time? What God wants from us in the midst of a chaotic world is to walk in His Presence and live from that place of peace. Worry, anxiety, and fear are at an all-time high, but this is not what God wants from us. He wants us to be free from negative emotions so that we let His Spirit direct our steps with confidence and joy. Knowing and loving God is our greatest privilege, and being known and loved is God’s greatest pleasure. Psalm 16:11 (NIV) – 11 You make known to me the path of life; you will fill me with joy in your presence, with eternal pleasures at your right hand.
How do we live in God’s presence? How do I detect his unseen hand on my shoulder and his inaudible voice in my ear? A sheep grows familiar with the voice of the shepherd. How can you and I grow familiar with the voice of God? Jeremiah 29:13 (NIV) – 13 You will seek me and find me when you seek me with all your heart. Here are a few ideas:
Give God your waking thoughts. Before you face the day, face the Father. Before you step out of bed, step into his presence. I have a friend who makes it a habit to roll out of his bed onto his knees and begin his day in prayer. Personally, I don’t get that far. With my head still on the pillow and my eyes still closed, I offer God the first seconds of my day. The prayer is not lengthy and far from formal. Depending on how much sleep I got, it may not even be intelligible. Often it’s nothing more than “Thank you for a night’s rest. I belong to you today.”
Give God your waiting thoughts. Spend time with him in silence. The mature married couple has learned the treasure of shared silence; they don’t need to fill the air with constant chatter. Just being together is sufficient. Try being silent with God. Psalm 46:10 (NIV) – “Be still, and know that I am God.” Awareness of God is a result of stillness before God.
Give God your busy thoughts. Imagine considering every moment as a potential time of communion with God. Throughout the day, I focus my thoughts on the Lord, and praise and worship Him for His goodness. I tell the Lord that I love Him, and I thank Him for living in me. Then, I ask Him to think with my mind, to love with my heart, and to speak with my lips. Since He came to seek and to save the lost, I ask Him to seek and to save the lost through me.
Give God your whispering thoughts. Through the centuries Christians have learned the value of brief sentence prayers, prayers that can be whispered anywhere, in any setting. Use Breath Prayers – Pray a brief phrase to Jesus throughout the day that you can repeat in one breath. You may want to pray phrases such as, “You will help me,” “You promise to never leave me,” “I can do all things through Christ,” “Your joy is my strength,” “I love You,” and “Help me trust You.” Breath prayers, unlike regular prayers, are short with just a few words that you can quickly pray to God at any time. They will keep you more conscious of your relationship with God on a moment-by-moment basis, and you will walk in less worry and greater peace.
Give God your waning thoughts. At the end of the day, let your mind settle on him. Finish the day as you began it: talking to God. Thank him for the good parts. Question him about the hard parts. Seek his mercy. Seek his strength. Ask Him, “Lord, is there anything in me that is displeasing to you, anything that I need to confess?” We can then spend whatever time is appropriate reading and meditating on God’s Word so that our subconscious thoughts are on the Lord Jesus all night long.
We are entering days when the Word of God in our hearts is going to be absolutely necessary. We can live above all that is happening here on earth if we keep in mind that everything we do can be spending time with God. We only need to be aware of His presence during the day, whatever we’re doing. He wants to be invited into the center of our activities. Revelation 21:3 (NIV) – 3 And I heard a loud voice from the throne saying, “Look! God’s dwelling place is now among the people, and he will dwell with them. They will be his people, and God himself will be with them and be their God.
In His Grace,
Pastor Hamilton