Experiencing God’s presence . . .

 

I usually forget what time my hubby leaves to have breakfast with a friend or to go golfing, but I always know he has gone — there is no sense of his presence. It’s the same if he steps out for a walk, to water the yard, or to talk to a neighbor. I’m not sure why I know he is away.

On the other hand, when it comes to God, I cannot see Him yet am usually intensely aware of His presence. In one author’s book (It may have been Andrew Murray) I read that the presence of God is like the air around us, unseen yet always there. Since that, it takes very little to sense He is with me.

Sometimes knowing God is near makes me tremble. The psalmist wrote: “Tremble, O earth, at the presence of the Lord, at the presence of the God of Jacob.” (Psalm 114:7) At times His presence is a great comfort, or a delight, or a reassurance. Whatever my reaction, it is seldom that He just shows up but that wonderful sense that He is always here, always with me. He knows what I am doing, even what I am thinking.

O Lord, you have searched me and known me! You know when I sit down and when I rise up; you discern my thoughts from afar. You search out my path and my lying down and are acquainted with all my ways. Even before a word is on my tongue, behold, O Lord, you know it altogether. You hem me in, behind and before, and lay your hand upon me. Such knowledge is too wonderful for me; it is high; I cannot attain it. Where shall I go from your Spirit? Or where shall I flee from your presence? If I ascend to heaven, you are there! If I make my bed in Sheol, you are there! If I take the wings of the morning and dwell in the uttermost parts of the sea, even there your hand shall lead me, and your right hand shall hold me. (Psalm 139:1–10)

At times, my husband or other people can be right beside me, but I am not thinking about them and may not be consciously aware of their physical presence. It is not the same as God. I can think about other things (sometimes to my shame) but when I think about God, that sense of Him being with Him increases and my heart rejoices. Praise comes, or prayers about needs, or that wonder of Him being near and no words need to be said.

Years ago, I read about a spiritual exercise that changed my life. Because I was sick as a child and often alone in a hospital room, I grew up with the fear of being abandoned. Then God had me reading Henri Nouwen. He suggested to go into a room where I would not be disturbed and think about whatever I feared the most. Let that fear wash over me and experience it fully. I did that, and the sense of being abandoned was so strong that I felt empty. This was painful, even terrible. Nouwen said this would happen and I should make no effort to avoid it, but let those emotions have control. I felt as if I would die and, in a sense, I did.

Then the surprise — a powerful sense of God’s presence came into that room, as if He were physically present and completely there — with me, never to go away or abandon me.

Keep your life free from love of money, and be content with what you have, for he has said, “I will never leave you nor forsake you.” So we can confidently say, “The Lord is my helper; I will not fear; what can man do to me?” (Hebrews 13:5–6)

That experience of God’s promise stuck. He is here. I’ve no need to pray, “God, be with me” either for His presence or the sense of His presence. I might not think about it at times, but usually do, and in all kinds of situations. Not focusing on His presence is dangerous and can ruin my life!

PRAY: Lord Jesus, even knowing You are always with me, I’ve still not reached the perfection of making You an integral part of my daily decisions and activities. However, I love You and long to see You even though I know that You are as close to me as anyone can be. You are teaching me to talk to You easily and often, and You are answering prayer in surprising and delightful ways. Keep my heart focused on the reality that You are walking with me and holding my hand all the time, no matter what else is happening. What great delight in knowing You are with me, always!

READ John 14:1–31. What did Jesus say about my part in how He manifests Himself to His people? What does the Holy Spirit do for God’s people now that Jesus is physically absent?

 

 

Giving back to God

Numbers 7:1–47

John 14:1–31

Psalm 8:1–9

The members of a church we used to attend were generous when the offering plate was passed, but had another practice that was puzzling; they donated used furniture and other items to furnish the building. These were second-hand cast-offs no longer wanted and far from being in the best condition. I’m not sure that I understand this, but today’s reading reminded me of it.

“He who offered his offering the first day was Nahshon the son of Amminadab, of the tribe of Judah. And his offering was one silver plate whose weight was 130 shekels, one silver basin of 70 shekels, according to the shekel of the sanctuary, both of them full of fine flour mixed with oil for a grain offering; one golden dish of 10 shekels, full of incense; one bull from the herd, one ram, one male lamb a year old, for a burnt offering; one male goat for a sin offering; and for the sacrifice of peace offerings, two oxen, five rams, five male goats, and five male lambs a year old. This was the offering of Nahshon the son of Amminadab.” (Numbers 7:12–17)

Each chief of each of the twelve tribes gave the same offering. A shekel is about 2/5 of an ounce, so 200 shekels would be about 80 ounces. Today’s price of silver is about $16 an ounce x 80 = $128.00 in US dollars. The gold at 10 shekels or about 4 ounces prices out today at more than $4600.00. A bull could cost at least $5000 today (ranchers, please correct me if I used the wrong market prices website), a ram or a lamb could easily be $600, a goat could be $100 and up . . . so do the math. These people were instructed by God that every animal sacrifice and offering to the Lord was to be unblemished, the best of the flock. This particular offering was at the consecration of the temple, but it was not the only offering. They were continual.

Of course the offerings are types/shadows of the Lord Jesus Christ. However, God seems to be saying that whatever we give Him, whether five loaves and two fishes, or several thousand dollars worth of gold, silver, and livestock, it should be from the top of the pile, not the bottom.

The second reading speaks to me about motivation. If I am giving anything to God, it should be an expression of how I value Him. He says, “If you love me, you will keep my commandments . . . .Whoever has my commandments and keeps them, he it is who loves me. And he who loves me will be loved by my Father, and I will love him and manifest myself to him . . . . If anyone loves me, he will keep my word, and my Father will love him, and we will come to him and make our home with him . . . . You heard me say to you, ‘I am going away, and I will come to you.’ If you loved me, you would have rejoiced, because I am going to the Father, for the Father is greater than I.” (John 14:15, 21, 23, 28)

I get it. If I love God, I will obey Him, but it suggests more than that. I love my hubby so I do my best for Him. I love God so I give Him the leftovers? Oh my. This is sad.

A tee-shirt says something about the wearer’s worth because of these words across the back of it: “God does not make junk.” Certainly this is true. The psalmist considered creation and said the same thing. However, he came to a different conclusion.

“When I look at your heavens, the work of your fingers, the moon and the stars, which you have set in place, what is man that you are mindful of him, and the son of man that you care for him?” (Psalm 8:3–4)

Seeing the perfections of God humbled the psalmist rather than making him proud of himself. From all the above, humility and gratitude ought to be the effect of seeing the wonder of God and what He has done for me. I know that He gave me His best. I see it in creation. I see it in the offering of His Son for my sin. Giving back my best is not about earning His favor, but about saying thanks, and saying, “I love You.”