Someone once asked me to picture my ideal eternity. I thought of everyone I love being present and accounted for, healthy and satisfied and fulfilled, with all my favorite treats and fun ways to while away the hours (if such a time constraint exists in heaven). If I could have everything I’ve ever wanted or imagined wanting, but God was not there, would I still be happy? Was my idea of heaven still “heaven” if God was not there?
Huh.
Now, I knew what the “right” answer was—boy, did I—but if I’m really honest, the right answer brought me no comfort or peace and, while I’m ashamed to admit it, no honest-to-goodness joy. The truth is that, when I imagined actually being in the presence of God, in the same room with Him so to speak, I felt all good with one of us being on the other side of the door.
Needless to say, that one question took me on a journey of really beginning to look for God, to seek out His person, to really know Him. Because if He laid out His life for me, for the joy of having me with Him for eternity (Hebrews 12:2), and yet I somehow still felt the need for separation and physical distance from Him, then that was a problem. I had a sense that He went to the cross for more than just the effort of making us all good with one another. I recognized my need for Him, and He went to the cross for me so that we could actually be in the same room together.
I realized that to “seek His face,” I had to seek Him out intimately (1Chronicles 16:11). And when I searched for Him, when I sought Him out with all my heart and all my soul (Deuteronomy 4:29), He showed Himself to be anything but indifferent toward me. Through His Word, by His Spirit, and by the testimony of His Church (Colossians 3:14–16), He led me to really see the passion that led Him to the cross to die for me. All of this so we could be in the presence of one another unencumbered by my sin, because “the LORD [our] God is a compassionate God” (Deuteronomy 4:31). The reality is that He is always with me, and that’s where He wants to be. That truth leaves me utterly awestruck, yet somehow, I’m still prone to forget.
If you have been brought back into God’s presence through the blood of Jesus, then His presence and holiness aren’t meant to cause trembling from a place of fear, but of excitement and anticipation that one day, not so long from now, we won’t have to search for Him because we will get to see Him face to face (1Corinthians 13:12). Until that day, we don’t have to settle for just being “okay” with God—we get to have a relationship with Him.
Are you like me, closing your heart off from a true relationship with Him? Have you believed the lie that the one who died to save you is somehow indifferent toward you? Take Him at His Word: seek Him, and He’ll remind you of what is true.
Before this devotional I was just asking God why I don’t feel his peace all the time and his devotional answered my question. To walk in God’s presence, I need to seek him out. I need to ask him to bring me his peace. It seems like such a simple answer, but not always easy. I pray that I can walk in his presence today and everyday as I invite him into my day.
That is awesome!!❣️❣️
I recently did a bible study with a small group, and the study compared the return of our Lord like a husband (in the military- how it resonated with me), coming home after being away for a long time, and his wife, not knowing exactly what day, she constantly prepares and longs for the date, she makes sure she will not miss that date, she prepares the house clean, the bed made, a nice dress to welcome him, a photographer to take pictures of that moment. And that’s the longing of the bride toward the husband she loves. The study described such a constant longing of a husband and wife relationship, it truly touched my heart. In the book Song of Solomon, the relationship described in the theme for this whole book, is a love between a man and a pursued lover, to reflect the love of Christ toward us. It is not the love between a Commander towards the minions. It’s a man pursuing a woman. The Covenant of Love (Song of Solomon 4:10-16) reflects this closeness and gentleness of Christ coming to pursue, court, marry and redeem His Bride. I could not imagine me making it to Heaven and be in a different room with my bridegroom. I am lifting prayers to some of us that might feel this way and struggle to move past. By the Lord’s grace, it is possible. When I make it to the pearly gates, walking on the street of gold, I would ask the first person I see there where the Lord is, to find Him and run to Him, to give my Lord Jesus the biggest hug, by His grace… I can only imagine. It will be truly the most wonderful moment, this brings tears to my eyes each time I think of it. I hope you all have a lovely weekend filled with God’s peace and joy. Be blessed dear sisters.
@ Madeleine praying health over your son and peace as you wait❤️
Madeline , all is well and he is better soon.
@Madeline–PRAYING for your baby boy!
MADELEINE: praying now!
Asking for prayers for my 12 day old son who is in hospital with a bad cough and laboured breathing.
Beautiful and thought provoking devotion today!