The Presence of God
The writer of Psalm 27 is intentionally focusing on one of the most important aspects of our spiritual life. Throughout Scripture, we learn about the importance of the presence of God.
It is in the presence of God that we find strength and hope (Psalm 27:1). It’s also in God’s presence that our enemies lose their power over us (Psalm 27:2-3).
In Psalm 27:4 the writer of the Psalm expresses his desire to dwell within the house of the Lord, to gaze upon God’s beauty and be in His presence in the temple. In the Old Testament, the presence of God was primarily within the temple. But through spending time with God, the Psalmist found hope and restoration for his soul.
Thanks to Jesus, God’s presence is no longer confined to the temple. His presence is now available to us through the Holy Spirit who dwells within believers. We now have access to God’s presence at any time.
Just like the writer of the Psalm desired to dwell within God’s presence, we also should desire to be with God as much as possible. It is in God’s presence that we find hope, joy, beauty, and the restoration of our weary souls.
It is important that we spend time with God each and every day. We can do this through regularly reading Scripture and reflecting on what we read. We can also spend time in prayer, talking to God about what is happening in our life. Another way to spend time in God’s presence is to simply be aware that He is with you through your daily tasks each day.
I just started to read “Why Grace Changes Everything” by Chuck Smith. The introduction by Raul Ries has brought back my journey to accepting Christ.
I was a preteen, I remember wanting to read “Joni” by Joni Erickson (now Tada) and the “Cross and the Switchblade” by David Wilkerson. This sparked something in me but I wasn’t sure. Then I became friends with teen a little older than me who introduced me to the Bible. But it would be years later that I made my impassioned plead to the Lord only to backslide a few years later. Then another friend took me to Calvary Chapel of Philadelphia and it was there that I rededicated my life to the Lord. And is there that the Lord has been dealing with my sin through grace until this day. I am a work in progress because I have things that come to light from my past that may hold me from things the Lord has for me.
I am looking forward to reading this book just by reading a short part of the introduction. It may inspire me to write about my own ...