God's Presence

After what seems like a long interlude of silence, I'm back to posting again.  We lost our computer capabilities to a nasty virus just after the new year began, then traveled down to the warmth of Florida for three weeks, and still do not have our computer back yet.  I want to post photos with my writing, but will just have to insert them once we finally get our computer back.  I hate to be so dependant on technology, but that is the way the world seems to turn in our present age.

Florida was fun and -- I don't mean to rub it in, but very warm and even hot some days.  As I walked along the warm walkways in flipflops, admiring colorful flowers and all varieties of palm trees, I kept having to remind myself it was January!  Then, when we returned home, it snowed the next day.  I do love a bit of snow, so I was quite happy to change my flipflops for boots -- at least for a while (:

This morning, as I read through my favorite daily devotional, "Jesus Calling" by Sarah Young, I read Jesus saying, "Follow Me one step at a time.  That is all I require of you.  In fact, that is the only way to move through this space/time world."  I looked up the corresponding verse in Psalm and one on the opposite page caught my eye and grabbed my heart, "In your presence is fullness of joy" Psalm 16:11.  As I sat gazing out my window and communing with God, I felt a great peace and joy settle over me.  I'd been worrying about several things earlier, but when I became still before God and gloried in His presence, all those cares melted away and the fullness I felt in His presence pierced my heart with joy.  It's really, really true -- when we draw away from the world and step into the presence of Almighty God, praising and glorifying His name, there is no fuller joy available in this world.

I'm afraid I haven't yet mastered the ability of living in constant awareness of God's presence.  Oh, I know He's always there (praise God!), but I become distracted by the world around me and get caught up in other things to the extent that I just take for granted He is there and don't actively, moment by moment "feel" that Holy presence that is always surrounding me.  I think that's why the scripture reminds us that we need to regularly "Be still and know that I am God."  In stillness and seeking His presence, comes the fullest joy.

I'm so thankful that God never leaves me, even when there may be a spiritual distance on my part.  He is always there and welcomes me back to the circle of His presence at a moment's notice.  What an amazing, above all else and extraordinary God we are privileged to belong to.  Praise God from whom all blessings flow.