Is your greatest desire to be with the Lord? Do you long for His presence at every moment?
And I can see the light in the darkness
As the darkness bows to Him
I can hear the roar in the heavens
As the space between wears thin
I can feel the ground shake beneath us
As the prison walls cave in
Nothing stands between us
Nothing stands between us
When do you feel the nearness of the Lord most? Throughout the Bible we see ways in which the Lord has made himself near to those who love Him. Whether it was bringing an earthquake to make a way for Paul and Silas (Acts 16:25-40), or tearing the veil in the temple separating God from man (Matthew 27:51), God longs to be close to mankind. There is nothing separating us from God except us. Take a moment to think about the ways that you draw close to God in your life, and choose today to do one of those things.
There is no other name but the name that is Jesus
He who was and still is, and will be through it all
So come what may in the space between
All the things unseen and this reckoning
And I know I will never be alone
And I know I will never be alone
To have a savior of your past, your present, and your future, you need to have a Lord who IS past, present, and future. Revelation 1:8 says “I am the Alpha and the Omega,” says the Lord God, “who is and who was and who is to come, the Almighty.” Christ was with the Father during the creation of the earth, was present on earth in his ministry, and will rule forever in the future as Lord of all. Having a Lord who was sovereign over our past, is working in our present, and has promised us our future, we can meet each situation and circumstance with confidence and hope. Take some time to surrender things that are burdening you and trust that the Lord is present in those struggles, and that He promises to never leave you.
There’ll be another in the fire
Standing next to me
There’ll be another in the waters
Holding back the seas
And should I ever need reminding
How good You’ve been to me
I’ll count the joy come every battle
‘Cause I know that’s where You’ll be
I think the words of Psalm 34 sum it up best. It says…
I will bless the Lord at all times;
his praise shall continually be in my mouth.
My soul makes its boast in the Lord;
let the humble hear and be glad.
Oh, magnify the Lord with me,
and let us exalt his name together!
I sought the Lord, and he answered me
and delivered me from all my fears.
Those who look to him are radiant,
and their faces shall never be ashamed.
This poor man cried, and the Lord heard him
and saved him out of all his troubles.
The angel of the Lord encamps
around those who fear him, and delivers them.
Oh, taste and see that the Lord is good!
Blessed is the man who takes refuge in him!
Oh, fear the Lord, you his saints,
for those who fear him have no lack!
The young lions suffer want and hunger;
but those who seek the Lord lack no good thing.
Come, O children, listen to me;
I will teach you the fear of the Lord.
What man is there who desires life
and loves many days, that he may see good?
Keep your tongue from evil
and your lips from speaking deceit.
Turn away from evil and do good;
seek peace and pursue it.
The eyes of the Lord are toward the righteous
and his ears toward their cry.
The face of the Lord is against those who do evil,
to cut off the memory of them from the earth.
When the righteous cry for help, the Lord hears
and delivers them out of all their troubles.
The Lord is near to the brokenhearted
and saves the crushed in spirit.
Many are the afflictions of the righteous,
but the Lord delivers him out of them all.
He keeps all his bones;
not one of them is broken.
Affliction will slay the wicked,
and those who hate the righteous will be condemned.
The Lord redeems the life of his servants;
none of those who take refuge in him will be condemned.
The Lord is every bit as near to us during our times of battle, our times of trial and despair, as He is in our times of success and joy. James 1:2-4 says “Count it all joy, my brothers, when you meet trials of various kinds, for you know that the testing of your faith produces steadfastness. And let steadfastness have its full effect, that you may be perfect and complete, lacking in nothing.” Take this current trial that you are in, not as God departing from you, but as the Lord drawing near to you. Meet it with hopeful expectation that it will strengthen your relationship with Him. And count it a joy that He loves you enough to allow you to experience it. Know that the result will be a continual progression toward the heart of Christ, the place where we will be lacking in nothing.
Jeremy