Your presence is Heaven to me
“The Lord replied, “My Presence will go with you, and I will give you rest.”"(NIV) Exodus 33:14
Further reading: Exodus 13:21, Exodus 14
Listening to the lyrics of the song - “Your Presence is Heaven to Me” by Israel and New Breed, and watching people worship God out of love, I felt the sovereignty of God in my life. Indeed, God’s presence is heaven to me. But, is that the case for you too? If you have doubts, don’t worry. I have had doubts too- in moments of weakness and at a time when I was at my lowest point in life. But God’s words are always true and He continues to assure us that He is working to perfection in us.
Beloved, the Christian journey is not a smooth one but God’s promise to carry us still holds. As I journey with Him, seeking His face and waiting on Him to do more than I can imagine, I have been tested on who God is in my life and whether He walks the road with me as I BELIEVE His words to be. And as my heart acknowledges this truth, I watched in despair as I see only my footprint along the way.
It really felt lonely. Walking through the path alone and seeing no known face. It was all filled with deadly stares. Silently, I wondered where my God was; until I saw the little footprints of mine along with bigger footprints. Whose are these I asked as I looked around? They were mine, says the Lord! It has been you all this while, I said. You faced it all for me. His presence is heaven to me!!!
Beloved, however personal the above may be, I know it’s how we all felt some days or still feel today. We question whether God is with us in the midst of all the events taking place in our lives. Many days we don’t see Him anywhere near us. There are times we do really feel alone. We may even have gotten to the point of letting go and wrapping up ourselves in dejection and depression.
Beloved in the Lord, it’s okay to feel that way occasionally along the journey but it is surely NOT OK to overlook everything happening and seeing God there. His presence is heaven to us, dearly loved one.
He is there holding that tear that dropped and wiping it when you feel you can cry no more. He is there when that amusing thought of who He is rushes through your mind and makes you smile. He is there bursting in that song that wakes you up or sends you to bed; He is there shaking your hands through that amazing person you just met, the soul-fulfilling partner you have; the lecturer that highly esteems you; the exceptional favour at work; that talent and gift that sets you apart.
He is there lifting your spirit up each day and making you take one day at a time no matter how hard you see it. He is just there. His presence is there all around us. The moments we feel heavily down, He reaches to make His presence felt, making it truly Heaven. You surely don’t have to look hard to see Him at work in your life.
May you experience Heaven today as you look beyond the challenge, remembering that “those who are with us are more than those who are with them” (2 Kings 6:16). God’s presence is with you, rest in it. Amen!
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