Remember back in elementary school when awards were handed out at the end of the year. It always seemed that the most applause was given to those students who received the "Perfect Attendance Award".
And why not? That's quite an accomplishment, never missing a day of school, always being there. Well that's how it is with God. He is always there. He never misses a day. God is personally present every day in my life. I must sadly admit, however, that I am not always present with God, nor have I always acknowledged God's presence in my life. But that's where God's patience and grace are so beautifully displayed as He's been teaching me from His Word. And hopefully I have learned a lesson or two.
Lesson #1: God is with me....every hour of every day. He is personally involved and active in my life. He doesn't stand at a distance watching the events of my day unfold. He is in the midst of everything I do. Even when I feel He isn't there, He is! It is my own faulty thinking &/or emotions that allow me to believe that God is not near. But the fact is, He is present. Psalm 139:1-10 says so. I'm trying to memorize it. But this passage of scripture says that God knows my downsitting and my uprising. He is aquainted with all my ways. He is before me and behind me. Any place I go, He goes to. And I love verse 10 "Even there shall thy hand lead me, and thy right hand shall hold me." Wherever I go, not only is God with me, but He is there to lead me and to hold me. I find that very comforting, especially during the times in life when things aren't going quite so well.
Here's my tendency concerning God's presence. When things are tough, I mean really tough, I know God is there. That's when I lean on Him the most. That's when my trust and faith are at it's highest because I know that I can't get through without God by my side. But when things are going well, especially well, that's when I tend to forget that God is with me. Oh I still have my daily devotions and prayer, but I just go through my day with no thought of His personal presence. How silly is that? Some people are just the opposite though. They recognize God's presence during the good times and feel He has left during the tough times. They wonder where He is and why He's left them. Equally silly. God is there, all the time....which leads me to...
Lesson #2: I need to acknowledge God's presence in my life. I am learning that two things are needed to acknowledge God's presence: Praise & Prayer. By having an attitude of praise, I am showing His goodness in my life. Public praise testifies to others how God is working personally in my life. It shows that He is real and close and intimately involved in the affairs of my life. Prayer also is a key way to say to God that you know He is with you. 1 Thess 5:17 says that we are to pray without ceasing. To me that means keeping the lines of communication open with God all day. I try to converse with God throughout my day. Sometimes it's the big, important things of life like school/career decisions and sometimes it's the little stuff like feeling a cold coming on or having the right attitude as I do housework. But whatever it is, I talk with Him because He is here with me and I want to acknowledge in presence. It's like linking arms with God as we walk along together.
I can honestly say that every time in my life when attendance was taken, God has never been marked absent. He is always there. Perfect Attendance! My challenge is to do the same.
One last thing....Some people say God is nowhere to be found.
I say...God is now here to be found.
And why not? That's quite an accomplishment, never missing a day of school, always being there. Well that's how it is with God. He is always there. He never misses a day. God is personally present every day in my life. I must sadly admit, however, that I am not always present with God, nor have I always acknowledged God's presence in my life. But that's where God's patience and grace are so beautifully displayed as He's been teaching me from His Word. And hopefully I have learned a lesson or two.
Lesson #1: God is with me....every hour of every day. He is personally involved and active in my life. He doesn't stand at a distance watching the events of my day unfold. He is in the midst of everything I do. Even when I feel He isn't there, He is! It is my own faulty thinking &/or emotions that allow me to believe that God is not near. But the fact is, He is present. Psalm 139:1-10 says so. I'm trying to memorize it. But this passage of scripture says that God knows my downsitting and my uprising. He is aquainted with all my ways. He is before me and behind me. Any place I go, He goes to. And I love verse 10 "Even there shall thy hand lead me, and thy right hand shall hold me." Wherever I go, not only is God with me, but He is there to lead me and to hold me. I find that very comforting, especially during the times in life when things aren't going quite so well.
Here's my tendency concerning God's presence. When things are tough, I mean really tough, I know God is there. That's when I lean on Him the most. That's when my trust and faith are at it's highest because I know that I can't get through without God by my side. But when things are going well, especially well, that's when I tend to forget that God is with me. Oh I still have my daily devotions and prayer, but I just go through my day with no thought of His personal presence. How silly is that? Some people are just the opposite though. They recognize God's presence during the good times and feel He has left during the tough times. They wonder where He is and why He's left them. Equally silly. God is there, all the time....which leads me to...
Lesson #2: I need to acknowledge God's presence in my life. I am learning that two things are needed to acknowledge God's presence: Praise & Prayer. By having an attitude of praise, I am showing His goodness in my life. Public praise testifies to others how God is working personally in my life. It shows that He is real and close and intimately involved in the affairs of my life. Prayer also is a key way to say to God that you know He is with you. 1 Thess 5:17 says that we are to pray without ceasing. To me that means keeping the lines of communication open with God all day. I try to converse with God throughout my day. Sometimes it's the big, important things of life like school/career decisions and sometimes it's the little stuff like feeling a cold coming on or having the right attitude as I do housework. But whatever it is, I talk with Him because He is here with me and I want to acknowledge in presence. It's like linking arms with God as we walk along together.
I can honestly say that every time in my life when attendance was taken, God has never been marked absent. He is always there. Perfect Attendance! My challenge is to do the same.
One last thing....Some people say God is nowhere to be found.
I say...God is now here to be found.
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