In the presence of God is the
only spot on this earth to find the fullness of joy. He offers us pleasures
that last throughout eternity (Psalm 16:11; 139: 23-24).
We often look for natural,
human experiences with God, but His ways are so much higher than ours. God often enjoys sitting with us in silence; no
revelations, no rushing wind, no mighty supernatural gifts deposited in our
life. Just golden silence in the presence of our King Jesus.
At other times, we need a notebook to keep track of all the ideas He
imparts to us during these intimate times of devotion.
We may make a to-do list for our day, or a prayer list of people He wants
us to lift up in our prayers that day, or people we need to forgive or those
from whom we need to ask forgiveness.
Only as we deliberately enter the recesses within our own soul; and only as
we conquer the clutter in our schedule, thoughts, and life; and only as we empty
our self of selfish ambition and attitudes, can we hope to discover His
presence in our life.
The clutter in our soul leaves no room for Him to make His presence known
to us. God may even give us plans to straighten up the outer clutter in our
life, as well as well as the inner clutter.
Listening to God with our undivided attention in these times of aloneness
is the key to growing spiritually. As we age, we find that we look forward to
our times alone with God more than any other time during our day.
Prayer:
Father God, when we abide in You, negative emotions such as fear,
confusion, distress, distrust, and dread no longer fill every recess of our
soul. We learn to trust in You regardless of the natural events taking place
around us. We sit with awe-filled wonder at the magnificence of Your will and
way in our life.
Give us this day only that which we need to serve You; and teach us to wait
patiently on You for each new day, hour and moment that You give us to serve
You with our whole heart. We release our negative emotions to You and receive
from You the cry of Your heart instead.
Thought for the Day:
Ephesians 3:16-19 (Amplified Bible)…“ May God
grant you, out of the rich treasury of His glory, to be strengthened and
reinforced with mighty power in the inner man by the [Holy] Spirit [Himself
indwelling your innermost being and personality].
17 May Christ through your faith [actually] dwell (settle down, abide, make
His permanent home) in your hearts! May you be rooted deep in love and
founded securely on love, 18 That you
may have the power and be strong to apprehend and grasp with all
the saints [God’s devoted people, the experience of that love] what is the
breadth and length and height and depth [of it];
19 [That you may really come] to know [practically, through experience for
yourselves] the love of Christ, which far surpasses mere knowledge [without
experience]; that you may be filled [through all your being]]unto
all the fullness of God [may have the richest measure of the divine Presence,
and become a body wholly filled and flooded with God Himself]!"
