Yesterday we talked about God's power. Today, we are going to talk about His presence.
When we talked about experts in yesterday's blog, one thing we have to also discuss is the immediacy of the help we need.
Let's take the electrician analogy again.
If we need immediate help, we aren't going to write a letter to an electrician requesting that they come....three days ago when I sent the letter.
If we need immediate help we aren't going to rely on a text or e-mail either. Sure, they are much faster than snail mail, but there is no guarantee that the message will be received immediately and that doesn't even account for the delays that come simply from sending the information from one device to another.
A phone call. That's better, for sure. Again, however, you are dependent on them being on the other side of the phone and being able to answer themselves. What if their lines are busy because this is a wide-spread electrical problem? What if they are out to lunch? (Thankfully God will never be out to lunch or hearing so many prayers that He can't hear yours!!)
No, the BEST method to guarantee the help of an expert when it is needed immediately...it to have a face-to-face conversation. To talk to someone who is right there with you.
So, since this is about God and prayer, how immediate can God's help be? Where is His "presence"?
In Joshua 1:1-9 we see God talking to Joshua as He hands the reigns from Moses to Joshua as leader of the Israelites. Twice in this passage we see God promise Joshua that He is with him. Once He says that He will never leave or forsake Joshua and once that God will be with him wherever he goes.
Psalm 23:4 notes that "even though I walk through the valley of the shadow of death, I will fear no evil, for you are with me."
Psalm 46:1 is really cool. The Hebrew word that is translated "present" here comes from the root "to find" and gives the idea that "God is our refuge and strength, a very findable help in trouble."
Psalm 139 is an amazing Psalm in general. Specifically, read the first 12 verses. These are a great reminder of God and his presence. (Please read those 12 verses through the link and then before moving on. It's worth it.) I especially loves verse 4. "Even before a word is on my tongue, behold, O Lord, you know it altogether."
When we talked about experts in yesterday's blog, one thing we have to also discuss is the immediacy of the help we need.
Let's take the electrician analogy again.
If we need immediate help, we aren't going to write a letter to an electrician requesting that they come....three days ago when I sent the letter.
If we need immediate help we aren't going to rely on a text or e-mail either. Sure, they are much faster than snail mail, but there is no guarantee that the message will be received immediately and that doesn't even account for the delays that come simply from sending the information from one device to another.
A phone call. That's better, for sure. Again, however, you are dependent on them being on the other side of the phone and being able to answer themselves. What if their lines are busy because this is a wide-spread electrical problem? What if they are out to lunch? (Thankfully God will never be out to lunch or hearing so many prayers that He can't hear yours!!)
No, the BEST method to guarantee the help of an expert when it is needed immediately...it to have a face-to-face conversation. To talk to someone who is right there with you.
So, since this is about God and prayer, how immediate can God's help be? Where is His "presence"?
In Joshua 1:1-9 we see God talking to Joshua as He hands the reigns from Moses to Joshua as leader of the Israelites. Twice in this passage we see God promise Joshua that He is with him. Once He says that He will never leave or forsake Joshua and once that God will be with him wherever he goes.
Psalm 23:4 notes that "even though I walk through the valley of the shadow of death, I will fear no evil, for you are with me."
Psalm 46:1 is really cool. The Hebrew word that is translated "present" here comes from the root "to find" and gives the idea that "God is our refuge and strength, a very findable help in trouble."
Psalm 139 is an amazing Psalm in general. Specifically, read the first 12 verses. These are a great reminder of God and his presence. (Please read those 12 verses through the link and then before moving on. It's worth it.) I especially loves verse 4. "Even before a word is on my tongue, behold, O Lord, you know it altogether."
Matthew 18:20 reminds us that where two or three are gathered in the name of Jesus, He is there.
Matthew 28:19-20 is great. Many of us know the great commission and are aware that we are told that while we are going, we are to make disciples, teach, and baptize. However, the great truth here is at the end where Christ says, "behold, I am with you always, to the end of the age."
John 14:16 we see Jesus promising to ask the Father to send the Spirit to us as a "Helper" which we know did happen in the book of Acts.
Lastly, in I John 4:13-16 we see the apostle John reinforcing the idea that God abides (dwells) in us and we abide in Him.
God's presence is a constant. Our awareness of His presence isn't though. So, our two keys are God's power and God's presence. There are other things that are also important in prayer, but I can promise you that if at any point we lack one of these, we will not have a healthy prayer life. If we forget, diminish, or disregard the power of God or if we are not constantly aware of the presence of God, we won't be driven to pray to Him. We won't stop in the middle of a crisis moment to pray because we won't be remembering His presence. Or we won't stop in a crisis moment to pray because we are so caught up in our own ability (or the ability of someone else) because we have disregarded the power of God to fight and work for us.
Let's remember God's power and His presence as we aim to have a healthy and consistent prayer life.
To God be the glory.
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