Presence
By Connie Miller
TODAY’S TREASURE
"Behold, the virgin shall conceive and bear a son, and they shall call His name “Immanuel” (which means God with us)." - Matthew 1:23
My husband and I celebrate 42 years of marriage this year. We met in college, became best buds, and as our relationship blossomed into a beautiful love for one another it was quite painful being far apart during summer and Christmas breaks. Even though I had his picture close by, wore his football jersey, talked on the phone for hours with him, and even received his letters during our brief separation, there was nothing like having him right there with me. Mike’s presence made all the difference in the world.
There is a wonderful promise in Scripture regarding God’s presence. This promise is revealed in the garden when God said to the serpent in Genesis 3:15:
"I will put enmity between you and the woman, and between your offspring and her offspring; he shall bruise your head, and you shall bruise his heel."
Hermann Bavinck calls this the “mother promise” of Scripture because, from this announcement, God is declaring His presence and triumph through the promised seed of Christ who will one day deliver the victorious crushing, fatal blow to our arch-enemy. Noah realized the promise when God revealed His plan of rescue from the floodwaters as He instructed him to build the ark for him and his family complete with placing the covenant sign of the rainbow of His promised presence throughout future generations. The promise of God’s presence:
"I will be Your God, you shall be My people and I will dwell among You forever" (Jeremiah 30:22) blazes through the Old Testament like that of a laser-guided torpedo as God’s oath is echoed time and time again through the patriarchs, Israel’s history, and then in the gospel of Matthew:
"They shall call his name Immanuel, which means God with us." - Matthew 1:23
When Jesus ascends into heaven after appearing to the disciples, He repeats His covenant promise: "And behold, I am with you, even to the end of the age." Matthew 28:20
His presence is given to every believer through the Holy Spirit and in the new heavens and earth, we will all gather around His presence to worship forever and ever. Amen!
The promise of God’s glorious, Life-Giving presence should make a difference in everything about us as believers. At the burning bush, God told Moses to pull off his shoes for the ground was holy. God’s presence made all the difference. The ground was holy, set apart, because of His presence. Because we are the temple of God’s indwelling Holy Spirit, you and I as believers walk on holy ground every day. All of life is sacred because we live in His presence.
LIFE-GIVING ENCOURAGEMENT
So what? One particular day, after teaching a Bible study on Moses and the burning bush, I learned a very important lesson through the conviction of the Holy Spirit. You see, I had scheduled a committee meeting this same evening for a time when Mike could be home with the children so we wouldn’t have to hire a babysitter. He was at an elder’s meeting at a time before cell phones and was running late. As the minutes clicked away I grew more and more frustrated with my sweetheart. Twenty more minutes passed by and now I am sensing the wicked witch of the west coming out like the tornado in Kansas thinking, “I’ll get you my little pretty, and your little dog too!” During my wicked-witch moment of sin, the Holy Spirit allowed me to remember the truths of the morning's study.
What now? The lesson? Because of God’s presence, I walk on “holy ground” every moment of the day. I could sense the whispers of His conviction, “Connie, God knew before the foundation of the earth that your husband would be late and your response to this is more important than being on time. This is a holy ground moment. Are you going to trust Me?” After confessing my sinful attitude, Mike literally arrived and when he walked through the door, I was able to kiss him quickly and be on my way instead of sucking the life out of a man who just came home from doing kingdom work! God’s presence makes all the difference. How are you practicing God’s presence on a daily basis? How are you responding to those “holy ground” moments of disappointment, unexpected challenges, and perhaps husbands who are late?
PRAYER
Heavenly Father, thank You for the glorious gift of Your presence in our lives. Forgive us for taking that for granted. Help us to embrace this deep truth that we are Your temple and You dwell within us. Grant us the power to live lives that reflect Your presence and power. Thank You that it is in You that we live and move and have our being. In Jesus' Name. Amen.
More free resources for help hope & healing:
Ask Dr. Betters is a topical series of over 400 videos that has reached over 1 ½ million views. Dr. Chuck F. Betters answers questions submitted by our listening audience on suffering and the sovereignty of God. This week’s featured question is: How can I overcome my addiction of lust and adultery?
ABOUT THE AUTHOR
Connie Miller and her husband, Mike, have been married for 43 years and have three adult children and three grandchildren. Together they served on staff with Campus Crusade for Christ for twelve years at the University of South Carolina in Columbia, South Carolina. Connie currently serves alongside her husband at Christ Covenant Church in Matthews, North Carolina, where she served on the board to reorganize the church's women's ministries as well as chair the Titus II Ministry. She continues to disciple women at Christ Covenant Church today.
In addition to her roles in the church, Connie is a Real Estate Broker in Charlotte, NC, as well as a National Trainer for PCA Women's Ministry and the PCA International Advisor for PCA Women's Ministry conducting training in Nicaragua, Columbia, South America, Scotland, England, Ireland, and El Salvador.
For more from Daily Treasure please visit MARKINC.ORG.
Originally published Friday, 11 August 2023.
SHARE
