Moving Presence!
Verse for Today: Thursday, January 2, 2014
Genesis 28:16 – When Jacob awoke from his sleep, he thought, “Surely the Lord is in this place, and I was not aware of it”.
Awareness and realization of the presence of God is vital in our lives. It helps us to be confident and vigilant in what we attempt and accomplish. It makes us courageous in all our circumstances and humble in our efforts. In our times of utter hopelessness, we sometimes become presumptuous and say that God has abandoned us. We make such immature and unspiritual conclusions which reveal our spiritual audacity. At Bethel, the fugitive Jacob was at the bottom of hopelessness and friendlessness. His future was uncertain and he was in utter confusion and discouragement. But God revealed Himself to Jacob in mysterious ways and reminded him that God was with him. He reminds us also today that He is present wherever we go. We might be thinking that we are running away from all our troubles. But the Lord comes back to us to reassure us that He turns our troubles into triumphs. We were not worthy to be chosen by Him, but by His grace He chose us. In spite of our failures, He still fulfills His plans and purposes in our lives because He is compassionate and merciful. He also demands that we give Him first place in our lives. As He gives us new visions, renews His promises and reassures us of His plans for us, we need to become humble and broken in our spirits and commit our ways to Him. We must submit ourselves as sacrifices of worship before Him so that He can make use of us for His glory. Just as God wiped away Jacob’s past and prepared him for the future, He will forgive us of our past failures and give us new opportunities. His presence goes with us not because we are the best people available, but because He is compassionate.
Dear friend, are you a fugitive and running for life today? Are you homeless and friendless and lost all hope for the future? Do you feel that you are abandoned by all around you? Even when you allow your mind to be boggled down with such negative thoughts because of your situations, your Lord is with you. He wants to open your eyes to see His care and concern for you. He reassures you that He will never leave you homeless. If you do not have a home in this world, He will show you how you can climb the ladder of faith to reach up to your heavenly home which God has prepared for you. He is willing to wipe your past failures away and give you a new beginning. He wants you to sacrifice your life for Him as a living worship. He wants to renew His promises to you to keep going. He reassures you of His presence which goes before you in your pathways. God doesn’t want you to handle your life according to human wisdom, but give it to Him to remold and restore. He wants you to submit your desires and future to Him to redesign it His way. He will fulfill His desires in your lives for His glory. God also reassures you that no matter what you go through in the future, He will be with you and lead you by His hands. If you falter or digress, He will discipline and teach you new lessons so as to avert future failures. These disciplines are all meant to draw you closer to God. Confess your failures and ask that you may be remolded according to His plan and pleasure. Make God your highest priority in life. He will make your life purposeful and bring in His certainties in your pathways.
Exodus 33:14 – The Lord replied (to Moses), “My presence will go with you, and I will give you rest”.
Thought for Today
When God is present our lives, His presence will go with us wherever we go.
Prayer for Today
Dear Lord Jesus: Reveal Your glory to me in my uncertain situations and fill me with Your presence to wipe away my past failures. Amen!
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