THE COMFORT OF HIS PRESENCE

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THE COMFORT OF HIS PRESENCE

Good morning, friends, it's been a while!  I've been thinking about the burdens of loss and pain and difficulty many of us have been shouldering lately, and it reminded me that we all need strength and encouragement for our long journey of following Christ–which is the whole point of Waybread!  So I offer this little piece in the hope that, if you're one of those carrying a heavy load these days, you'll find rest, strength, and hope here.

When you think about it, it's interesting that there is no real systematic instruction about prayer in the Bible–no lectures, so teachings on the various types or categories of prayer.  There's very little on studying prayer, and nothing whatsoever on offering classes to learn how and why to pray.  What we do see, though–everywhere, all the time, on virtually every page–is men and women just praying!  And I find that encouraging because it reminds me that my first order of business isn't to study or define or search my concordance for prayer (as helpful as all that may be), but just to pray!  Isn't it amazing how often we get sidetracked from the most important things by trying to figure them out first instead of just doing them?

Prayer is not rocket science, it's just conversation with God.  We spend so much time wondering if we're "doing it right" or whether we're making things up, or whether our sense of what God is saying to us is really God or just bad digestion or a spiritual "mood" that we wind up losing the heart and soul of prayer in all of our questioning and insecurity about it.

My best times with God don't come when I sit down on purpose to pray.  They come when I linger in His presence for a while after reading a passage of Scripture, or when I'm confused or in pain or discouraged and I just cry out (either aloud or in my mind), "God, help me," or "I don't know what I'm doing here, Lord, show me the way," or even "I sure screwed that up, Jesus!  I should know better than to trust my own intentions or abilities."

When I just talk to Him and tell Him what's on my mind, when I let my concerns about friends, family, and neighbors flow out of me into His hearing, I can, for just a moment, step outside the confusion and chaos of life.  I can enter into His comforting presence and find peace even in the midst of all the trouble.  And I can listen for His timely word of hope and peace, maybe just a simple Bible verse or a quiet thought, and I can sense Christ's presence more clearly.  Whether your experience of times like these is the same or different doesn't matter–what does matter is that He is most certainly present with us, whether we sense Him there or not.  

It's also helpful to keep in mind that the kingdom of God is so much bigger than my life and concerns, don't you think?  And to remember that His kingdom isn't just "some day in a faraway future" or the eternal life we'll only know after we die–no, God's kingdom is here, now, "near at hand," as Jesus says.

And this nearness of God and His Kingdom is a great comfort, isn't it?  Think about how often He tells us how near He is:

~ Jesus says the kingdom of heaven is "near at hand" (numerous times)

~ Paul says that people will "search for God … though indeed He is not far from each one of us" (Acts 17:27)

~ Moses says the word of God "is not too hard for you … nor is it too far away.  It is not in 

heaven … nor is it beyond the sea….  No, the word is very near to you; it is in your mouth and in your heart for you to observe" (Deut. 30:11-14)

~ Solomon says "there is one who sticks closer than a brother" (Prov. 18:24)

On top of this intimate nearness of the Kingdom, I also think of it as not only being present here and now, but of even invading this world, this life.  It's helpful for me to picture this life and everything and everyone in it as black and white, but as the kingdom of God invades all of it gradually comes into color!  When I come to faith in Christ I become a new creation, I shift from a one-dimensional black-and-white person into a 3-D person of vibrant color and light and clarity.  Now, of course, it doesn't always seem that way, but it sure helps me see and understand the tension between life in this fallen world and life in God's present kingdom differently–it gives me life and hope and even joy right in the middle of all I might be going through.

Don't you find that God is both near and mysterious at the same time?  How marvelous!  How wonderful!  How … challenging!  The only way we can make sense of such a mystery is through faith.  Faith sees the majesty and wonder of everything that surrounds us so that we say, "How could I doubt Him?"  And yet, however firmly we may believe, we seldom understand.  Faith and understanding don't always walk hand in hand.

I have found great comfort in dealing with this tension, this conflict, in Psalm 69–and in one verse in particular:

"At an acceptable time, O God, 

in the abundance of Your steadfast love, 

answer me" (Ps. 69:13).

Oh how often I get frustrated in prayer because I don't get what I want!  But this helps me remember that prayer is not so much about getting what I want as it is praying for what God wants (God's will).  And then I realize how often what I want conflicts with, butts up against, what God wants.  When push comes to shove, do I really prefer my desires over God's?  (In many cases, at least for me, the answer, unfortunately, is yes.  But this teaches me humility, and I learn to give up my own priorities in order to take hold of His.  After all, isn't this what Jesus was modeling for us in the Garden of Gethsemane?  "Father, if it is Your will, take this cup away from Me; nevertheless not My will, but Yours, be done" (Luke 22:42).

Maybe today you find yourself in your own sort of "Garden of Gethsemane moment."  You may feel hemmed in, cornered, up against a foe or a force greater than you can face.  I don't have the way out for you, but I do have a word of hope:

Take heart, friend!  God is near!  His kingdom of love and peace and freedom is at hand!  At just the right time, in the abundance of His great love for you, you will find the answer–you will find that He is your answer.  Not just a way out, not just a solution, but God Himself, His Spirit and His presence will be with you and will lead you!

Be encouraged, friend, for God, the Maker of Heaven and Earth, who spoke all worlds into being, is both with you and for you.