“Where shall I go from Your Spirit? Or where shall I flee from Your presence?” — Psalm 139:7 (ESV)
Love is Present
One of the most comforting aspects of God’s character is that He is present. Jesus made clear God’s desire to be present when He left His throne and took on humanity. God has never desired distance with His children. He fights to have close relationship with us every day.
We can not only receive God’s Word, but experience more of God through being doers of His Word. Today, explore how you can follow the example of Jesus and be present for those around you.
Being present in people’s lives always requires sacrifice. It requires stepping outside of what will solely benefit you in order to live for the benefit of others. Philippians 2:3 (ESV) teaches us, “Do nothing from selfish ambition or conceit, but in humility count others more significant than yourselves.” Jesus counted you and me as more significant than His own life. He died so that we might live, and He calls us to do the same. Luke 9:23 (ESV) says, “If anyone would come after Me, let him deny himself and take up his cross daily and follow Me.” John 12:24 (ESV) makes it clear that in order to bear fruit in this life we must die to ourselves: “Truly, truly, I say to you, unless a grain of wheat falls into the earth and dies, it remains alone; but if it dies, it bears much fruit.” Choose today to be a doer of the Word, and die to yourself that you might better love others.
You see, before people need your advice they need your presence. Before our need to be fixed we simply need to know we are loved and cared for. It’s in the giving and receiving of love that healing takes place. Being present creates space for them to thrive, heal and be transformed.
Who in your life needs you to be present for them today? In what ways has God been present in your own life? In what ways has He demonstrated His nearness to you? And in what ways could you be His reflection today?
I promise you there is someone around you that just needs you to be present in their life. There is someone who simply needs to know that somebody would love them enough to think about them — to be near to them. Take time today to let someone know you are there for them. Listen, love and watch as God works through you simply being present in the lives of others.
— Craig Denison, First 15
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