The Presence of God (YouVersion Daily Refresh)

The writer of Psalm 27 is intentionally focusing on one of the most important aspects of our spiritual life. Throughout Scripture, we learn about the importance of the presence of God. 

It is in the presence of God that we find strength and hope (Psalm 27:1). It’s also in God’s presence that our enemies lose their power over us (Psalm 27:2-3).

In Psalm 27:4 the writer of the Psalm expresses his desire to dwell within the house of the Lord, to gaze upon God’s beauty and be in His presence in the temple. In the Old Testament, the presence of God was primarily within the temple. But through spending time with God, the Psalmist found hope and restoration for his soul.

Thanks to Jesus, God’s presence is no longer confined to the temple. His presence is now available to us through the Holy Spirit who dwells within believers. We now have access to God’s presence at any time.

Just like the writer of the Psalm desired to dwell within God’s presence, we also should desire to be with God as much as possible. It is in God’s presence that we find hope, joy, beauty, and the restoration of our weary souls.

It is important that we spend time with God each and every day. We can do this through regularly reading Scripture and reflecting on what we read. We can also spend time in prayer, talking to God about what is happening in our life. Another way to spend time in God’s presence is to simply be aware that He is with you through your daily tasks each day.

My Thoughts

To be honest, I used to go through my days vaguely aware that God was walking with me throughout the day. These days, as my health concerns increase and my days and night are all mixed up from lack of sleep, I am constantly aware that God is with me. He is with me when I awaken in the morning and my first thought is to thank Him for giving me some rest. He is with me as I count out the meds, use my nebulizer and cough my way through another day. I keep thanking God for each breath He has given me.

Last night I got to do an online chat with our daughter and grandchildren. What a blessing to see their smiling faces and to hear their voices! I could see God working in each of their lives and I felt so peaceful as I listened and participated in the celebration of Tyler’s birthday.

There are so many things that I have to be thankful for, but the one that stands out is that God is right there beside me. He knows my frustration at not being able to attend church in person since I have to stay near meds that help me breathe. He has been wrapping me in warm hugs of encouragement and love. I don’t like not being able to go out but I do like feeling God’s presence so close to me that I whisper His name and can almost audibly hear Him say, “I am right here.”

God is good, all the time. He is present, all the time. Sometimes we are more aware of His nearness, just when we need to feel His closeness to us, He shows us. I don’t know how to explain it other than the peace and calm that comes when it is totally unexpected, like a wonderful surprise that you knew was coming but you didn’t know when it would arrive. The expectation of God’s presence is awe-inspiring, but the awareness of His being there all along is nothing short of glorious!