Dear Precious Friends,
On this beautiful new day and as we seek God first, seek His face and know His love, I pray you are embracing the day as the gift it is and reminded that no matter what today has in store, as a believer, you can approach the day with boldness and confidence. Why? Because the Lord is with us, and in Him is everything we need in this life!
This means that if we need provision for something today, provision is with us. If we need wisdom today, wisdom is with us. If we need strength, joy or peace today, it’s with us. We can be confident today knowing that all of our needs are supplied spiritually, physically and emotionally because the Lord is with us. And best of all, He’s promised never to leave us. We must remember, to never let the lies from the enemy or pressure from the world keep us from taking hold of everything the Lord has for us. We must Open our hearts by faith and receive whatever we need today. May we step out in boldness and strength because the Lord is with us!
One of the most life-giving promises God makes to us as his children is his promise to be near. David wrote in Psalm 139:9-10, “If I take the wings of the morning and dwell in the uttermost parts of the sea, even there your hand shall lead me, and your right hand shall hold me.” What an incredible image David paints of the nearness of God! If we were to explore the ends of the earth, God would still be there. If we were to dive to the depths of the ocean, God would still be there. If we descend into the darkest places of our inner being, we will still find God. There’s no place we can go that he isn’t present. God’s presence floods the earth like the early morning fog, saturating everything with its haze. His presence is his promise.
So, what do we do with the knowledge of God’s nearness? What does it mean for us? In Deuteronomy 31:6 we’re told, “He will not leave you or forsake you.” And in Psalm 23:4 David exemplifies this command in saying, “Even though I walk through the valley of the shadow of death, I will fear no evil, for you are with me; your rod and your staff, they comfort me.” Psalm 46:1 says it this way: “God is our refuge and strength, a very present help in trouble.”
God’s nearness is meant to be our source of courage and strength. We are to find refuge in the knowledge and experience of his presence. His presence means everything for us. It means we’re not alone anymore. It means he will guide and shepherd us through the various situations we may find ourselves in: “your rod and your staff, they comfort me.”
Now, When we wake up in the morning, God is there to love and prepare us. When we go about our day, God is there for us, desiring to empower us. When we lie down at night, God is there to give us rest and peace. God’s presence is the foundation on which so many of His other promises are fulfilled.
May we have feel His presence with us this day and all our days as we seek Him first.
AMEN.
Source: Holy Spirit, Bible, First 15, Daily devo.
