“And I will walk among you and will be your God, and you shall be my people.” (Leviticus 26:12, ESV)
I have shared with you two of my four New Year’s Resolutions. The first is to be present in the moment. The second is to be present with myself. The third is to be present with God.
God is present with us. Jesus is Immanuel. On Christmas, we celebrated that God made his home with us. And he continues to dwell with us today through his Holy Spirit.
God is more present with us at any given moment than we ever realize. Even when we feel that God is not present, he is still there. It is not that he has abandoned us. It is that we have failed to recognize and discern his presence. God is present with us even when we fail to discern his presence.
God’s presence is often recognized only through belief. We may not have the warm fuzzies inside. We might feel awful. But that does not mean that God is not there. He is as close as he has always been. We believe he is there as he promises he is there.
My third resolution to be more present with God is about being more aware of his presence. It is to trust in his presence regardless of the circumstances. It is also to pursue and to seek his presence. I believe God is present. Now I want to see his presence. I want to be aware of his presence. I want to delight in his presence. I want to rest in his presence.
It is through Word and Sacrament that the awareness of God’s presence is heightened. It is through the Word that God speaks to us. It is through the Sacrament of the Lord’s Supper that Jesus is physically present with us. The bread and wine in this meal may look and taste like regular bread and wine. But we receive these things by faith as the true body and blood of Jesus.
At other times of the day, we allow the Word and Sacrament to sustain us. We read the Word daily and partake in the Sacrament weekly. There is a reason that Jesus said “do this often” when he instituted the Lord’s Supper. He knew how much living in this world will draw us away from recognizing his presence. If you are questioning God’s presence, consider when was the last time you opened up the Word. Consider if you have been following Jesus’ directive to receive the Lord’s Supper often. I imagine that it will make a difference to go back to these places where Jesus promises he is present.
Reflection
- When do you struggle to recognize God’s presence?
- How do you sustain your awareness of God’s presence in your life?
Prayer
Jesus, thank you that you are always present with me. Thank you for giving me the assurance of your presence through Word and Sacrament. Give me a heart to seek you where you are found. Give me a hunger and a passion for your kingdom and for your glory. Amen.
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