Lines by Lee

It was a beautiful late autumn day. I was probably 12 or 13 years old. My younger brother was 9 or 10. My parents were not home and I am not sure where my older brother and sister (Jack and Jill) were. My brother and I decided to go outside late that afternoon and burn stuff near our house. There was a large field on the hillside where we lived that separated our property from another house. Before long whatever we were burning caught the high grass on fire. I decided we should get a shovel just to keep things under control. By the time I returned with the shovel the wind had picked up and the fire was spreading. Perhaps Jack and Jill should fetch a pail of water – or two. As my little brother and I began to panic we heard the sound of a firetruck siren. Apparently a neighbor placed a call long before there was 911. The firemen were now with us. Before long everything was under control. Soon our parents would be with us but not very happy with us!

Had Dad and Mom been home we probably would not have played with fire. Or at least Dad would have supervised the action. Kids tend to try more things and get into trouble when parents are not present.

As Christians we sometimes forget that God is always with us. When we deny or don't remember God's omnipresence it can be a problem. David asked some good questions. Where can I go from your Spirit? Where can I flee from your presence (Psalm 139:7)? He went on to basically say no matter where he went God was with him. Like so many Bible characters, David knew God's presence through good and bad times. Sometimes, like David, perhaps we wish we could flee from God's presence. A child wants to be left alone when he is up to no good. God's love and His character do not allow that.

Isaiah prophesied that Jesus would be born of a virgin and given the name Immanuel, which means "God with us." From the start, God's desire and plan was to be with his children. The Lord was not walking in the Garden of Eden for exercise. He was with Adam and Eve. The first episode of sin and hide and seek did not go so well. They could not hide from God and neither can we. God's presence does not have to be a problem. If we are honoring Him and seeking to walk with Him then the fact that He is with us is an invaluable gift!

When one has God's presence one has power. The disciples of Jesus were at a crossroads. Jesus had died and been resurrected. Soon He would ascend to heaven. Their power source was about to leave them...or was He? The famous last sentence of Jesus was, in part..."But you will receive power when the Holy Spirit comes upon you" (Acts 1:8)... Jesus would no longer be physically with them, but the Helper would be with them. The presence of the Holy Spirit would bring a dynamic power upon followers of Jesus. He still gives us power if we are controlled by Him. Too many people go through life weak and on low battery. There is no need to do that when we have the Spirit of God constantly inside us!

When one has God's presence one has protection. Why live in fear when God is with us? Not only does the Lord assign angels to protect us, He is always watching over us as well. "Those who live in the shelter of the Most High will find rest in the shadow of the Almighty. This I declare about the Lord: He alone is my refuge, my place of safety; He is my God, and I trust Him" (Psalm 91:1-2). Do you live in the shelter of the Lord? Do you see the protection and rest available in His shadow? Is He your refuge and place of safety? He is worthy of putting your trust in.

When one has God's presence one has purpose. I spoke with a 96-year-old woman yesterday who does not know the Lord. She does not understand why she is still living. She has no purpose because she does not recognize the Lord is present. When I tried to tell her about Jesus she just had a blank look. You have great worth and God has a reason for your life. "For it is God who works in you to will and to act in order to fulfill his good purpose" (Philippians 2:13). The Lord calls us to love and serve Him and the people around us. We will be more motivated to do those things when we remember He is with us.

When one has presence one has God's provision! Jesus came to be with us so He could provide forgiveness (Hebrews 1:3) and meet our needs. Nothing out there can satisfy. When we understand God is with us and allow Him to be our source of significance and hope we are less likely to chase after idols. All we need is provided for by our loving Father in heaven who is with us through His Spirit on earth.

When one has His presence one has peace! Jesus said, "I am leaving you with a gift – peace of mind and heart. And the peace I give is a gift the world cannot give. So don't be troubled or afraid" (John 14:27). I wrote about peace recently. A reader told me it was a main theme when he ministered to prisoners. Everyone craves peace. The more we understand the nearness of God the more we will have peace in our hearts and minds.

When one has God's presence one has perspective. If I remembered God is with me I would worry and get upset about things way less. I make many mountains out of molehills simply because I lack God's perspective. Seeing things through the lens of eternity would be better than the best blood pressure or sleep medications. Psalms 73 and 139 speak of God's right hand guiding us. That would not be possible if He was not with us! If God is for us who can be against us?

Besides everything I just wrote out there is this...we will enjoy God's presence for perpetuity. When I recently asked 120 middle-school campers what that word meant not one of them knew! In case you are a junior higher, perpetuity means "everlasting" or "eternal."You will show me the way of life, granting me the joy of your presence and the pleasures of living with you forever" (Psalm 16:11).

There is joy in His presence now and forever. It will be a pleasure to live with God for eternity. When John got a glimpse of heaven he wrote, "Look, God's home is now among his people! He will live with them, and they will be his people. God himself will be with them" (Revelation 21:3). Thankfully for my brother and me, when we are in God's presence forever there won't be any firetrucks.