A Timeless Treasure

Draw near to God and God will come close to you. James 4:8

Jesus is the only one who is directly qualified to enter into God’s presence. God is looking for people who are upright, genuine, reflect his character and pursue holiness, integrity, honesty, and  many others!  He is omnipresent and desires to interact with us regularly to hear him.

During the Transfiguration Jesus' physical appearance changed to reveal his divine glory, with his face shining like the sun and his clothes becoming brilliant white, as witnessed by the disciples Peter, James, and John. This served to confirm his identity as God's Son, demonstrated his fulfillment of the Law and the Prophets through the presence of Moses and Elijah, and to prepare the disciples. This was also a moment for the disciples to behold the “presence and power of the God” in a very tangible way.  The bright cloud overshadowed them, and a voice from the cloud said, “This is my dearly loved Son, who brings me great joy. Listen to him.”  The disciples were terrified and fell face down on the ground. This shows how overwhelming the presence of God is as Mathew 17:1-8 explains. It is humbling to know that God loves us so much that He invites us to experience His experience too.

Being in God’s presence isn’t simply a spiritual experience but the best possible reality we can live in. Jesus determines who worships in His presence.  What an honor God gives us this to experience and grants us to experience Him in such an awesome way!

In the Bible, God's presence has been described as manifested in powerful displays, direct appearances, intimate whispers, through the indwelling Holy Spirit in believers. Daniel is a great example, he learned when to reach out to God no matter what was happening around him. Other Bible characters who experienced the “Presence of God” were,  Abraham, Elijah, Isaiah, Moses Saul (Apostle Paul) and many others. These encounters varied from a "still small voice" to a blinding flash of light, significant, transformative events that shaped their lives in their spiritual journeys. This is such a treasure to us believers!

Pray your response to the Lord personally, meaningfully and genuinely!

Reflection

Just slow down, create space in your day to hang out more with God.  God’s presence changes us.