Presence

Presence

Verse 11 in Psalms 91 is a promise that we seldom, if ever, remember; it goes like this: “He has given His angels orders concerning you; to guard you in all your ways.”

For whatever reason, most of us reject this idea that there is something greater than us that is looking out for our well-being. The fact is, God smooths our way. Doors open for us, giving us opportunities to grow, both materially and spiritually; it is unfortunate that we often reject the spiritual side. Man, as a normal function, does not recognize we God is present; we are just like the Pharisees who refused to recognize Jesus as the true Son of God.

We must look in the shadows of our heart to see God; see God with singular eye that only recognizes His Kingdom within us. I read our present era prophets, Mohandas Gandhi and Martin Luther King, Jr. to catch a glimpse of what and where God is in our lives. He comes to us as Jesus bringing light into our world. We are surrounded by His aura as He invites us to come and see, come, and see. He helps us to learn, to grow, if we consciously allow it. Jesus walks among the poor as He did so many years ago; this is where we find Him. He is not with the rich and powerful, just as he was not with them before. He is with the ordinary! Ordinary people who suffer at the hands of those with closed hearts are his company.

There is great power hiding I the darkness; we just have to allow His light to lead us into the inner calm that only God can give. But we are a people who do not understand; we are like Peter who wept after denying Jesus three times. It is within our power to allow His light to enter us. It is within our power to show the world that the light is already within; we merely have to let it out. We need to let it out by doing God’s will, recognizing that all men and women are children of God and therefore our brothers and sisters.

When I was a young boy in Sunday School, my teacher asked each of us to select one verse from the Bible to memorize and try to live by that verse throughout our lives. I chose Matthew 5, verse 16 “ Let your light so shine before men that they may see your good works and glorify your Father which is in heaven.” And recently I wrote a poem that reads:

God within us,

God eternally near.

We are in everlasting awe

of Your surrounding world.

We celebrate all that You do.

Gathering in Your Name,

reveling in Your presence,

doing the works that are beacons,

for all to see,

uncovering the greatness

and glory of Your creation.

Peace my brothers and sister.

Russ