Live in the presence of God and you too will have the eyes of Abraham. Eyes that are always alert to the unexpected. Eyes that see God’s actions in petty annoyances and even in tragedies. Eyes that trust. And eyes that continue seeking whenever they are tempted to turn inwards.
Presence
Bill Hybels
In Matthew 28:20 Jesus says, “Surely I am with you always, to the very end of the age.” In Hebrews 13:5 God says, “Never will I leave you; never will I forsake you.” Jesus tells his disciples in John 14:18, “I will not leave you as orphans; I will come to you.” One of Jesus’ names, Emmanuel, means “God with us.” We don’t need to ask God to be with us if we are members of his family. Instead, we need to pray that we will be aware of his presence, that we will be confident because of it.
George MacDonald
God is ever seeking to get down to us – to be the divine man in us. And we are ever saying, “That be far from Thee, Lord!” We are careful, in our unbelief, over the divine dignity, of which He is too grand to think. Better pleasing to God…is the audacity of Job, who, rushing into His presence, and flinging the door of His presence-chamber to the wall, like a troubled – it may be angry – but yet faithful child, calls aloud in the ear of Him whose perfect Fatherhood be has yet to learn, “Am I a sea or a whale, that Thou settest a watch over me?”… The devotion of God to His creatures is perfect; He does not think about Himself, but about them; He wants nothing for Himself, but finds His blessedness in the outgoing of blessedness. Ah! it is a terrible – shall it be a lonely glory, this? We will draw near with our human response, our abandonment of self in the faith of Jesus. He Lives Himself to us – shall we not give ourselves to Him? Shall we not give ourselves to each other whom He loves?
Albert Haase
Prayer often brings me face-to-face with my sometimes chaotic and divided heart. The growing awareness of God’s presence in my life often brings with it the awareness of just how far I have wandered away from my own center, my own heart. I become aware of just how restless I am or how little time I have taken for rest, relaxation and exercise. Prayer helps me rediscover and once again enter into a relationship not only with God and others but also with myself.
Henry Blackaby
Some people say, ‘God will not ask me to do anything that I am not able to do.’ God always asks you to do things you cannot do. He is not interested in revealing your devotion to Him to a watching world, by giving you things you know you can do. He doesn’t take an inventory of your gifts and abilities. He looks at your life to see if you have an obedient heart and are willing to let Him express His presence and His power through your life.
Alan Redpath
There is nothing more important in any life than the constantly enjoyed presence of the Lord. There is nothing more vital, for without it we shall make mistakes, and without it we shall be defeated.
Randy Alcorn
The best part of Christmas is not the presents we receive, but the presence of God with us. Christmas can be a hint, a foretaste of the celebration God
Warren W. Wiersbe
Never underestimate the importance of simply being physically present in the place God wants you. You may not be asked to perform some dramatic ministry, but simply being there is a ministry.
W. Mallis
In Job 38:28 the question is asked: “Who hath begotten the drops of dew?” It is one of God’s secrets. It comes quietly, and yet works so mightily. We cannot produce it, but we may receive it and live, moment by moment, in that atmosphere where the Holy Spirit may continually drench us with His presence.
A. W. Tozer
We need never shout across the spaces to an absent God. He is nearer than our own soul, closer than our most secret thoughts.