Exodus 33:14 The LORD replied, "My Presence will go with you, and I will give you rest." 15 Then Moses said to him, "If your Presence does not go with us, do not send us up from here.
The secret to a faith that endures through all trials, trouble and evils of this life is the presence of God. Every follower of Christ is one because the presence of God became a living reality. There is nothing sweeter, purer, holier and more beautiful than knowing and experiencing the Lord's closeness. When things happen that don't make sense and leave us confused and doubt knocks on the door, Christ's presense brings healing comfort and consolation.
These are not just empty words. When our gracious Lord is present to the soul, it is truly tanglible and real--an experience that is so revolutionary that it is life changing. It is the presence of the Lord that brings comfort, joy, peace, repentance, hope and love and strengthens the soul to endure whatever hardships life produces.
God's presence is holy. I do not sense it as often as I crave for. I so often forget to seek the Lord and become content in my life without his presence. Then I become dry and hardened. But here is what He promises:
Deuteronomy 4:29 But if from there you seek the LORD your God, you will find him if you look for him with all your heart and with all your soul.
Jeremiah 29:13 You will seek me and find me when you seek me with all your heart. 14 I will be found by you," declares the LORD, "and will bring you back from captivity.
If you seek for God, you will find Him. He will make his presence known. How do you seek Him? You devote time to calling out to Him in prayer. You ask Him to make His presence known. You hunger for Him to be near. You read His Word in the Bible and trust His promises.
Here are some verses about His presence:
Philippians 4:4Rejoice in the Lord always. I will say it again: Rejoice! 5Let your gentleness be evident to all. The Lord is near. 6Do not be anxious about anything, but in everything, by prayer and petition, with thanksgiving, present your requests to God. 7And the peace of God, which transcends all understanding, will guard your hearts and your minds in Christ Jesus.
Psalm 16:11 You have made known to me the path of life; you will fill me with joy in your presence, with eternal pleasures at your right hand.
Psalm 84:10 Better is one day in your courts than a thousand elsewhere; I would rather be a doorkeeper in the house of my God than dwell in the tents of the wicked.
Psalm 27:4 One thing I ask of the LORD, this is what I seek: that I may dwell in the house of the LORD all the days of my life, to gaze upon the beauty of the LORD and to seek him in his temple.
Lord, it is good to be in your presence. There is nothing better and more fulfilling. For we were created by You to be complete and whole when we are near you. Do not hide yourself from me, for I hunger and thirst for you. Fill me with your Holy Spirit that I may endure.
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