Good morning and welcome to our community of folks who simply want to make space for God but are having difficulty finding time to do it! Drawing Near to God is a community based in Charleston SC and impacting our nation with the Gospel. Together we have been exploring how to understand the reality of God here in our midst through His Son Jesus Christ. There are so many distractions in today’s world, and finding time to focus on our spiritual lives can be challenging. But Jesus made it clear that if we focus on His kingdom, our lives will have purpose, meaning, peace.
But Seek first the kingdom of God and his righteousness and all these things will be given to you as well. (Matthew 6:33)
What things? The things we call life- our families, our jobs, our relationships, etc. He told us to focus on Him and life will take on a new meaning of hope.
So today I am focusing on the subject of the reality of God’s Presence. Why do some people find God in a way that others do not? Why does God manifest His Presence to some and yet multitude of others settle for less? God desires that all His children daily encounter Him and experience Him in a deeper way. The idea of cultivating a spiritual awareness of the Presence of God has been lost in the busyness of today’s world. The saints of old however understood that God was near; ever present and closer than their most secret thoughts. We have traded slower transforming methods for fast moving and dramatic flash encounters. The result is we are finding ourselves spiritually bankrupt.
Where can I go from your Spirit? Where can I flee from your Presence? If I go to the heavens, you are there; if I make my bed in the depths, you are there. If I rise on the wings of the dawn if I settle on the far side of the sea, even there your hand will guide me. (Psalm 139:7-10)
I remember a commercial for a credit card that said,”Never leave home without it.” My husband’s line to me: “Please leave home without it.” But God…
He is ever present. He does not leave us or forsake us and He wants us to be aware of His Presence as we go about our daily lives. Sometimes I wonder why He is more like a gentle wind; a gentle whisper when He speaks to us? I wonder why He does not shake us up or shake us down or hit us over the head so we will notice him? I think it’s because He wants us to seek Him with all of our hearts so spiritually hungry and thirsty so that He can fill us. I don’t think He is hiding from us– it’s more like He is asking us to open our eyes to see Him. You know how it is when you want something so badly, pursue it and finally it is yours, whether it is a dream, a job, a friendship; you are overjoyed when your desire is met. That’s is what I am talking about. Once we find Him, once we are aware of His Presence, we never want to live any other way. Come join me for my class Living in God’s Presence beginning this week live or via streaming. Together we will discover the reality of His Presence.
