There’s something God gave me as a gift almost two years ago that stays with me, and I say it quite frequently. God’s presence in our lives is the answer. Pause and read that again. God’s presence in our lives is the answer.
Whatever the questions, God with us fills our need.
Think of your life with Christ over time. You will see how He has moved and shaped and guided.
For so very long, I looked over my life and had a desperate fear that something like (fill in the blank) would happen again.
That began to change when I started seeing how God answered prayers and guided and directed.
God has been present throughout your life, whether you have acknowledged Him or not. And in Christ, we have the beautiful promise that He will never leave or abandon us.
Psalm 1:3: He is like a tree planted beside streams of water that bears its fruit in season and whose leaf does not wither.
Recently, I had a conversation with some dear sisters, and one brought up the above verse. She painted this beautiful picture in response.
You know what makes a leaf not wither? Being connected to the tree. The tree being connected to the root system. The root system being connected to water. If there is a break in any part of that system, the leaf withers. And don’t miss verse 2! This tree is a picture of the person who delights in God’s Word and meditates on it day and night.
What are you connected to?
God’s Pursuit of Us
I’ve been in the story of Jacob for a few weeks now. I’ve read his story many times. Not bragging, but when you grow up in church with felt boards, you hear a certain storyline. He’s the deceiver. He took advantage of his brother. Two wives and two concubines. I get that. It’s all true, but that’s not the whole story. We miss it if we focus on all the things he did wrong. God’s pursuit of this man is beautiful and touching and should be a focal point of Jacob’s story.
The dreams, the angels, the presence of God, the promises, and the protection all give a beautiful picture of His love. It’s not just for Jacob. We are meant to see the love and care of God. Don’t miss it. Don’t miss the pursuit. And if you haven’t read his story in a while, you can find it starting in Genesis 25. This time, when you read, look for the presence of God through it all.
Not only his story, but friends, it’s the story of the entire Bible. It’s the story of the world. Think beyond the Bible for a moment and realize that we have this one book, this beautiful book, but there is a world out there, and God has pursued people throughout the ages (Acts 17:26–27). Stories we’ve never heard. Miracles. He is not just the God of Israel; He is the God of the whole universe.
From creation to the tabernacle, to the temple, to the prophets, to Jesus, to the Holy Spirit, to God dwelling with His people in Revelation (Revelation 21:3).
He’s always been in pursuit of us.
Don’t believe the lie that He is distant or that He does not care. There is no truth in those lies.
Seeking His Presence
He is teaching me as well.
I recently had a friend say to me about her trials, “I don’t understand why we cannot have stability.” And I have been thinking about that so much since then. I’m really struck by how debilitating that thought is.
Is God’s desire for us to have stability or to seek Him in all things? Does He want us to pursue calm in our lives or pursue Him? (Matthew 6:33)
I think very often, for me, I am seeking answers to health stuff more earnestly than I am seeking Him. And that statement really challenged me. I recognized how easily her desire for stability could become the focus, but I see that same tendency in myself.
Of course I need to pursue answers, but I need to pray first. I need to pause and ask God to close doors that are not right for me and open doors that He wants.
I wrote about this in The Nearness of My God Is Good.
I need to TRUST the God whose presence is always with me.
So, to end this, I want to include a list for you and me. Spend some time and look up these verses. Maybe memorize them. Find songs. Write them down on note cards, and do not forget.
God’s Presence and Faithfulness
God will never leave or abandon us. Hebrews 13:5; Deuteronomy 31:8
Nothing can separate us from the love of God in Christ Jesus. Romans 8:38–39
God is faithful, even when we are faithless. 2 Timothy 2:13
God will complete the good work He began in us. Philippians 1:6
Jesus is with His followers always, even to the end of the age. Matthew 28:20
There is nowhere we can go beyond God’s presence. Psalm 139:7–10
And if you haven’t seen my friend Gina’s post, Always There, please go check it out. These two posts have similar themes, and I don’t want you to miss her perspective on this!
Come Along With Me
If this encouraged you, I’d love to have you come along. Get new Six Brown Bears posts delivered to your inbox as we keep learning, hoping, and keeping our eyes on Jesus together.
