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Category: God’s presence

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Reading Psalm 27 this morning, I had one of those moments.  As if I were squinting, trying to see what lies before me…. and then clarity came. My emotional state, my behavior, and the truth came together and I realized something.

I am so often my own worst enemy.

King David wrote Psalm 27 as he cried out to God to be delivered from his enemies. As I read, I thought… no one poses a threat to me as much as I do right now. I am making such poor choices right now. How can I possibly succeed when I am eating poorly, staying up late, procrastinating instead of preparing for homeschool, etc…

David writes that his deliverance, his safety comes only from God.  He says that the one thing he wants is to be with God. He knows that only God can hide him, only God can keep him safe from his enemies.

And so it is with me. Only God can keep me safe from myself! Like David, I must choose to seek God’s face so that I can rest safely in his presence. Only then can I learn from Him. So often, I try to learn from Him… but I have put myself at such a distance that I can barely hear His instruction.

This morning, I tried to live out David’s challenge to seek the face of the Lord. I closed my eyes and imagined myself walking on the beach. I saw Jesus standing near the shore and I sought Him, embraced Him, and looked in His face. What I saw and heard touched my heart so deeply. I was delivered from myself at that moment.

1 The LORD is your light and your salvation— whom shall you fear?
The LORD is the stronghold of your life—of whom shall you be afraid?

2 When evil men advance against you to devour your flesh,
when your enemies and your foes attack you, they will stumble and fall.

3 Though an army besiege you, your heart will not fear;
though war break out against you, even then you can be confident.

4 One thing you can ask of Me, that I long for you to experience:
that you may dwell in My house, the house of the LORD all the days of your life,
to gaze upon the beauty of My presence  and to find Me where I dwell.

5 For in the day of trouble I will keep you safe in My dwelling;
I will hide you in the shelter of My tabernacle and set you high upon a rock.

6 Then your head will be exalted above the enemies who surround you;
In My presence you will shout for joy; you will sing and make music because of what I have done for you.

7 I always hear your voice when you call Me;  I will be merciful to you and answer you.

8 Does your heart say, “Seek His face”? I long to hear you say, “Your face, LORD, I will seek.”

9 I will never hide My face from you, I will not turn you away in anger;
I am your helper. I will not reject you or forsake you, I am your Savior.

10 Though your father and mother may have forsaken you, I the LORD will receive you.

11 I will teach you My ways, I will lead you in a straight path in spite of your oppressors.

12 Do not fear the desire of your foes, nor false witnesses that rise up against you, breathing out violence.

13 Be confident of this: you will see the goodness of the LORD
in the land of the living.

14 Wait on Me, My child; be strong and take heart and wait for Me.

Psalm 27

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A quick post today:

The Lord loads the clouds with moisture;
he scatters his lightning through them.

At his direction they swirl around
over the face of the whole earth
to do whatever he commands them.

Job 37:11-12

Clouds are one of my favorite things that God has made.  They can come on a sunny day, offering shade.  They make sunsets so much more glorious.  However, clouds can also overpower the sun and obscure the light.  Clouds come with rain…with the storms.

He brings the clouds to correct men,
or to water his earth and show his favor and kindness.

Job 37:13

Has God brought clouds into your life today?  Are they casting shadows over you, or adding beauty to your sunset?  They have the ability to do both.  The Lord has brought these clouds to teach you something.  They will hover for a while.  Take comfort in His presence.  Soon, His clouds will bring showers of healing, provision, or release… whatever you need.  He loves you!

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When I’m not completely in line with God’s desires for my life, He has to work at getting my attention and revealing the area of my life that He wants to change.   I think that awareness is half the battle here.   Once He brings the problem out into the light, I just have to surrender and He walks me through the rest.  I get back to where He wants me to be.   Today, I’m wondering why this journey to awareness and surrender is so painful.

Maybe it’s because I’m so stubborn.

How can I be so stuck, holding on to something that isn’t God’s desire for me, and be virtually unaware of my death-grip on this thing?  How can I be so oblivious to how it’s affecting my life, my stress level, my family, and God’s ability to work freely in my midst?   I am so grateful to my God for pursuing me and continually revealing truth to me.

Today in my bible reading, I read about Bezalel in Exodus 37.  He was a man that God blessed with amazing talent, and He used Bezalel to build many of the items in the Tablernacle of Meeting. This morning, I was overwhelmed with the privilege that this man experienced. He was used of God to make the most sacred items the world has ever known.  He built and carved the ark of the covenant. He sculpted the two cherubim on the mercy seat–where God’s presence would dwell when He visited the children of Israel.  He embellished the curtains that would separate the holy place from the most holy place.

He touched the sacred.

God instructed Bezalel (through Moses) to install rings on each corner of the ark with poles to carry it when they needed to move the Tabernacle and the items within.  Later, after God’s presence began to dwell among these sacred items, anyone who reached beyond the poles and touched the ark would be struck dead.  Bezalel (and maybe Moses and Aaron) were likely the only ones to ever have touched the ark and remained alive.   I looked up his name, and it means  “in the shadow (protection) of God.”  Do you see how privileged he was?

So why am I interested in touching the stupid things of this world?  Why am I stuck holding on to ministry assignments and friendship positions?  Why am I grappling for material things?  Why am I worried about the things that are being taken away from me, when I can reach out and touch the sacred?

We aren’t living under the Tablernacle order of worship.  God is not dwelling in a tent or a building these days.  He is dwelling in my heart (Ephesian 3:17).  I can enter the Holy of Holies any time.  Any place where I am still, and reach out to God, is a holy place.  I can touch the sacred today.  Let me just set down all this other stuff I’m carrying around.