A few years ago, we planted two blackberry bushes in our backyard. Since he didn’t quite understand the concept of “ripeness,” my two-year-old son often walked to the plot and picked off a green or yellow berry, only to drop it with disappointment into the soil. “You can’t pick them when they’re green,” I told him. “They need to stay on the vine.”
God’s presence is a mysterious concept. At times, I’ve felt His closeness like a breath on my cheek. Other times, I’ve had to trust that His nearness is truth—regardless of my emotions or circumstances. If I trust Jesus, then I must take Him at His Word, and He tells me over and over again through Scripture that He will not leave me behind, He will always be present, and even when He is not physically present, the Holy Spirit will stand in the gap. God’s presence in my life is like the nutrients that move from soil through the vine into an unripe raspberry. Cut off from the source, nothing blooms. Cut off from His presence, I will be nothing but wasted potential.
Often, I can be tricked into believing that in order for me to experience God’s presence, I need a plush upholstered chair, a window that emits plentiful natural light, a cup of just-brewed coffee, a journal, and a good pen. Silence. But God is present with me, even when I am not aware of Him. And if God is always with me, then He is with me in the chaos of the day, just as much as He is in the precious moments of morning quiet. In the Great Commission, Jesus is sending His closest friends into oppositional territory, to places where they will be persecuted, hunted, and ultimately, killed. And despite that terrifying reality, Jesus promises them: “I am with you always” (Matthew 28:20).
Jesus is with you too—today, yesterday, and forever. No matter what you’re facing. No matter the sorrow, past or present, He is here—grieving with us, celebrating with us, growing and filling us with His Spirit, and helping us take steps forward with hope.
There is no check-list of calm or solitude required for God’s presence to attend to your weary soul. He is here now. He is with you, always. His presence flows into your heart, whether you feel it or not, whether you see it or not. All you must do is stay on the vine.
EMILY: For me, to feel God’s presence, 1. I simply pray for God to reveal Himself to me. I express my desire to feel His presence. 2. I read the bible. God’s word is living, so it’s an active, live way to be in His presence. I ask Him to show me things in His word, to reveal things I haven’t seen before. 3. I play Christian music. I have it playing when I’m getting ready for work, when I’m cooking dinner, when I’m cleaning the house. It keeps my mind on Him. 4. I thank Him and feel gratitude for the blessings He’s given me 5. Many times its an act of faith. I know He’s there even when I don’t feel it. Faith pleases God. In fact, we cannot please God without faith. So, even when I don’t feel His presence, I let my mind remind me that He is there, I exercise my faith in what the bible says about His presence with me at all time. Most of the time I don’t “feel” God’s presence, but it’s a state of mind to believe that He is. I hope this helps
I have been really struggling to feel God’s presence lately, thus why I’m doing this devotional. How do you all connect with God and feel his presence best?
Hey Sister She, Donna C. Thanks plenty for your beautiful punctuation to the day’s devotional:
“The world tells us to not think too much, to avoid, to forget, to ignore, to escape in order to find peace. But Your peace comes from remembering You, turning our eyes upon You, and thinking about You. We can have an untroubled heart in a troubled life because we know You.”
So often I’m wowed by the comments & contributions shown in this community. Truly we need one another in the spirit, in this space, sharing in the journey. Seldom do I have the “perfect circumstance” to receive God. But I do believe He sees all; knows all; forgives all: strengthens all; without our even asking. How great! How generous!
In seeking Him, in honesty & humility, He provides, beyond measure. As in the gathering of Shes here & everywhere.
Thanks Donna C. & each & all for participation in & commitment to SRT studies. Even In our messiness. Maybe especially in our messiness.
Amen & Amen!
We lost Christian artist, Mandisa, one week ago today. This is her song, He Is With Us. The lyrics fit so well with this study.
He Is With Us by Mandisa (copied from Youtube)
There’s a time to live
And a time to die
There’s a time to laugh
And a time to cry
There’s a time for war
And a time for peace
There’s a hand to hold
In the worst of these
He is with you when your faith is dead
And you can’t even get out of bed
Or your husband doesn’t kiss you anymore
He is with you when your baby’s gone
And your house is still, and your heart’s a stone
Cryin’ God, what’d You do that for
He is with you
There’s a time for yes
And a time for no
There’s a time to be angry
And a time to let it go
There is a time to run
And a time to face it
There is love to see you
Through all of this
He is with you in the conference room
When the world is coming down on you
And your wife and kids don’t know you anymore
He is with you in the ICU
When the doctors don’t know what to do
And it scares you to the core
He is with you
We may weep for a time
But joy will come in the morning
The morning light
He is with you when your kids are grown
When there’s too much space and you feel alone
And you’re worried if you got it right or wrong
Yes He is with you when you’ve given up
On ever finding your true love
Someone who feels like home
He is with you
When nothing else is left
And you take your final breath
He is with you
Music video by Mandisa performing He Is With You.
KELLY and JULIA C – those were my 2 main takeaways!
JULIA C – Way to preach through prayer, sister! Amen and amen! ❤
SEARCHING -❤ ❤
TINA – Glad to see you in your usual spot! ❤
This is from NKJV MacArthur Study Bible:
Ephesians 1:13-14 – sealed with the Holy Spirit. God’s own Spirit comes to indwell the believer and secures and preserves his eternal salvation. The sealing of which Paul speaks refers to an official mark of identification placed on a letter, contract, or other document. That document was thereby officially under the authority of the person whose stamp was on the seal.
Four primary truths are signified by the seal:
1) security (cf. Dan. 6:17; Matt. 27:62–66);
2) authenticity (cf. 1 Kin. 21:6–16);
3) ownership (cf. Jer. 32:10); and
4) authority (cf. Esth. 8:8–12). The Holy Spirit is given by God as His pledge of the believer’s future inheritance in glory (cf. 2 Cor. 1:21).
“There is no check-list of calm or solitude required for God’s presence to attend to your weary soul. He is here now. He is with you, always. His presence flows into your heart, whether you feel it or not, whether you see it or not.” Amen Claire Gibson
Song came to mind this morning Draw me close to you
Never let me go
I lay it all down again
To hear you say that I’m your friend
You are my desire
No one else will do
‘Cause nothing else can take your place
To feel the warmth of your embrace
Help me find the way
Bring me back to you
You’re all I want
You’re all I’ve ever needed
You’re all I want
Help me know you are near
I just love John 14’s passage today. “I will not leave you as orphans.” and “Peace I leave with you”. I have never had a strong emotional connection to my parents. I did not feel like someone was truly watching over me and looking out for my best interest while growing up. Some of that could have been my immature view of life, and some of it could have been my parents struggle financially and in their marriage. But regardless, that is how I felt. And now I am divorced after a rough marriage of 22 years. So, I have felt alone much of my life. BUT Jesus tells us that we are NOT orphans, we are NOT alone in this world, we DON’T have to do it on our own. HE has given us the Holy Spirit, who guides us, looks out for us, gives us what we need, prompt us to go left or right, shows us how to receive the blessings God has for us. And that give me such peace. I do not feel alone any more. I have a Father who truly loves me and is always watching out for my best interest. I stick close to Him because I would be afraid not to. I will remain in Him because where else would I want to be?
“All you must do is stay on the vine.” What a powerful statement! Abide in Him! He is always with us. Thank you Lord that we are never alone.
Praying for all of you!