O Sovereign Lord,” I said, “I can’t speak for you! I’m too young!” The Lord replied, “Don’t say, ‘I’m too young,’ for you must go wherever I send you and say whatever I tell you. And don’t be afraid of the people, for I will be with you and will protect you. I, the Lord, have spoken!” Then the Lord reached out and touched my mouth and said, Look, I have put my words in your mouth! Today I appoint you to stand up against nations and kingdoms. Some you must uproot and tear down, destroy and overthrow. Others you must build up and plant - (Jeremiah 1:6-10)- HIS EMPOWERING PRESENCE When was the last time you felt God’s presence? I’m not talking about an intellectual understanding that the Lord is with you because He’s everywhere. Instead, what I’m asking is, When was the last time you experienced a heartfelt realization that He personally and intimately abides with you? If you’re like many believers today, it may have been a while since you really felt His presence. Too many people go about their daily life without a genuine sense of God’s closeness. What a tragedy! In the Scriptures, when God called someone into service, the first thing He did was to remind that person of His enduring presence. We see examples of this in the stories of Moses (Ex. 3:11-12), Joshua (Josh. 1:1-9), Gideon (Judg. 6:12), and Jeremiah (Jer. 1:6-8), to name just a few. Every time God called one of His servants into action, His message was, “You can be strong and courageous because I am with you. Victory isn’t about YOUR abilities, YOUR strength, YOUR skill, YOUR armor, YOUR gifts, or YOUR dedication; it is completely centered on My presence. You can be strong because I will be strong in and through you.” God repeatedly assured His followers of His presence so they would remember the reason they could have confidence. And He wants to do the same for you. The Lord knows how difficult life can be, and He’s aware of the details of each struggle you’ll ever face. As believers in Christ Jesus, we can trust that our heavenly Father will keep His word. He is with us right now, and He always will be (Heb. 13:5-6).
Posted on: Sun, 03 Nov 2013 22:18:51 +0000