Day 106: In His Presence

Reading: Psalm 46:1-11

Sometimes it's hard to realize that God is closer than we think. He is there ready to protect us when hardships and temptations loom around the corner. He is there to comfort us when the troubles and devastation hit. He is to be our security over all else and over all others because He knows us inside and out. He is always there to give us peace at life's most overwhelming moments. He is also there to give us inexplicable joy and delight as we walk in the light with Him. 

This Psalm calls us to be still and know that He is God. Realize His unbelievable measure and His everlasting resources. God wants you to be in His presence forever, and to feel His when life is at all circumstances. Be still. Know Who He is.

Reading: Luke 17:11-37

The Kingdom of God is present through God's reign and rule in our lives. We are able to follow Him daily because of the Holy Spirit in us and the words He has left for us. However, in the visible sense, the kingdom of God is not yet here, but Jesus urges us to be ready for His return. It is eery to think about how people were just living day to day life, eating, buying, selling, attending social occasions, when God sent the flood to wipe out the human race. This also occurred when God poured His wrath out on Sodom and Gomorrah. People were living life, though many not so innocently, when God came. Jesus warns us to remember that He is coming back. His presence will be ever so visible as we see Him face to face. It is important that we don't just carry on with life, doing everything we can to be fulfilled and happy on this earth, but focused on what is to come after this life and when we get to live the ultimate and eternal life with our Maker. 

We are to be the man who came back after the ten were healed of their leprosy, to thank Jesus and to remember Him in all we do and in all we encounter. Living a life focused on Him and His presence both in His rule and reign in our lives now, and in the physical, visible presence we will experience later on, is where our goals should be.

Reading: Deuteronomy 26:1-28:14

Doing everything in the presence of The Lord sure changes the way you may do things. Moses reminds his people about the way they were rescued from Egypt, and how their people were blessed greatly, even before Egypt oppressed them. Now that the people are getting ready to enter the Promised Land, God is reminding them to remember their blessings and to obey His commands. Remembering God's presence in both the good times and bad is important. We may run to him when the path gets rough and troubles come our way, or we might feel like He's not there during those times. We may feel His presence full on when life is going great and everything is looking up, or we may forget about Him because we have no need for Him at the moment. The truth is that we are always in need of God's presence, no matter what are lives are like in the moment. 

The Israelites are reminded of this as they are about to enter a wonderful, but unknown land. They need to be reminded that no matter how wonderful life is at any moment, they still need to remember what God has done for them and obey His commands. When they face battles and troubles, the same goes. 

Remember God's presence in all circumstances of life. Obey His commands and lean on Him. 

We are always to be ready for Christ's return. Thinking back to the normal lives people were living in Noah's time, as well as in Sodom and Gomorrah when God came to them out, we will never see it coming, thus we must always be ready. Though we need to remember in all circumstances God's presence is always with us now, it will be a glorious day when we can be in His full, physical presence. Hold tight to these truths and promises today.