PRIZING HIS PRESENCE

Do You Hunger For His Presence?

Does your soul hunger to know where to find His presence? Do you earnestly seek after Him as your very life-source? Do you long to spend time with Him, at rest where He is found? How do you respond when you feel the beckoning of Jesus to come unto Him and find rest for your weary soul? When was the last time you yearned — REALLY yearned -- to spend time in fellowship with your Savior?

These are questions every follower of Jesus should reckon with in absolute honesty. It’s easy to spout of a quick answer — one that is expected of us. But take a few minutes to consider your sincere response in this, a time for honesty, transparency, and true conviction.

The sincere and genuine desire of the believer to fellowship with Him in solitude, to feed at His table, and to rest in His presence is a fairly good gauge of his/her relationship with Christ. After all, how can one say they love the Lord yet don’t have a sincere desire to spend time with Him, one-on-one, in blessed fellowship? I daresay, if you truly love the Lord you will truly desire to linger in His presence, worship at His feet, feed at His table, and find true companionship in His company.

If we feel as if He has withdrawn Himself a little, it is but to make us prize His presence more. Don’t fall to the temptation to pull away during these times of growth and strengthening, but seek Him more! And as you feel the pain of distance between you and your first love … Spurgeon says it like this, “Now that I am grieved at being away from Him, He will lead me yet again to that sheltered nook where the lambs of His fold are sheltered from the burning sun.” In other words, there are times when we will feel the pain of what seems to be separation from Him. But, the Lord longs to shelter us, to enfold us and keep us safe in His presence, to give us rest and to help us find contentment, satisfaction and total peace in Him.

“Tell me … where thou feedest, where thou makest thy flock to rest at noon.” If we truly seek after Him, if we are willing to follow hard after Him until we find that place of rest in His presence, we will go where He may be found. Where he feeds His flock. Where He speaks through His Word. Where obedience to His law is our highest priority. Where sweet fellowship is enjoyed through prayer. Where we cannot be truly satisfied apart from Him.

“It is true I am week in faith, and prone to fall, but my very feebleness is the reason why I should always be where thou feedest thy flock, that I may be strengthened, and preserved in safety beside the still waters."

Jesus beckons us to come find Him where He makes His flock to rest. He calls us unto Himself.

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Note:  Based on C. H. Spurgeon’s Morning and Evening: Daily Readings.