Pondering God\'s Presence

"Be still and know that I am God."
Psalm 46:1

Most believers understand that God is everywhere, but the Bible is also clear that the power and presence of Christ can fill the heart of the believer who surrenders to Him. His presence changes everything! So it’s no secret why the enemy of our soul wants to hinder His presence and power in our life.

Christmas is the greatest reminder to the world that Jesus Christ came to be in the presence of mankind, to be in the presence of mankind’s mess, and in the presence of mankind’s madness in order to bring about the greatest miracle for mankind – salvation!

I love the short new worship chorus that we’ve been singing the past few weeks with these powerful lyrics, “In the presence of Jehovah, God Almighty, Prince of peace, troubles vanish, hearts are mended, in the presence of the King.” It is incredible what can happen to our lives when we are in the presence of the King!

If we are too busy to wait, too preoccupied to pursue God, and too wrapped up to worship Him, our relationship with Him will be hindered. The prophet Isaiah writes, “God acts for the one who waits for Him” (Is. 64:4) and waiting in God’s presence shouldn’t be rushed.

I’ve come to realize that waiting is a great way to measure importance without creating impatience in our mind. Jesus often waited to hear from the Father and went to places of solitude to wait.

Lingering in His presence establishes in our hearts the fact that God is in control. Andrew Murray writes, “Once faith has taken its stand on God‘s Word and the name of Jesus and has yielded itself to the leading of the Spirit to seek only God’s will and honor it in prayer, you need not be discouraged by delay.” Just because God is delaying something doesn’t necessarily mean that He is denying it.

Remember that our feelings can’t always be trusted when waiting in the presence of Jehovah! We must come to the point where we say, “Jesus, you’re a priority and I’m going to pursue You regardless of how I feel.” But always remember, pursuing His presence doesn’t always mean feeling His presence. God is with us no matter how we feel at the moment!

In closing, don’t be discouraged by “feelings” when things get tough. Rest in God’s sovereignty. He is our stability in unstable times.

Let this Christmas season be filled with seeking His presence through unhurried worship, unrehearsed prayers, and unrelenting praise to our Immanuel – God with us!

Merry Christmas,

Pastor Dave