In His Presence in the Present
- Lovely A.
- 2 days ago
- 2 min read
Romans 8:38-39
38 For I am sure that neither death nor life, nor angels nor rulers, nor things present nor things to come, nor powers, 39 nor height nor depth, nor anything else in all creation, will be able to separate us from the love of God in Christ Jesus our Lord.
John Wu brought an anointed message this past Sunday, using Romans 8:38-39 as his main text. Looking at all that is listed -- death, life, angels, rulers, things present, things to come, principalities, height, depth, all of creation-- Paul pretty much included all that is possible in order to affirm that NOTHING can separate us from the love of God in Christ Jesus our Lord. I must repeat that again: There is absolutely nothing that can separate us from the abiding presence of God. So, if that's true, then why are there times when we feel God is far away? John gave us the three R's: Recognize, Remain, & Reflect!
So often we are too busy or distracted to recognize that God is with us. Psalm 139:7 says, "Where shall I flee from your presence?" And the answer is given in verses 8-12 and the simple summary is: wherever I flee, God is there!
The second thing we need is to remain and John 15:4 is a great reminder of how we are to remain: Abide in me, and I in you. As the branch cannot bear fruit by itself, unless it abides in the vine, neither can you, unless you abide in me. Three practical tips of how we can abide are: carry a word from God. Pause and acknowledge His presence. Be intentional about remembering one another.
Finally, we are to reflect. Like a mirror that reflects our image, we are to reflect God's image to those around us. We can do that by making God's love tangible to others.
Each day when we breathe, we do not even have to think about the air. And yet, without air, we would die. If our brain is deprived of air for five minutes, we may die. God gave us His presence, which is as essential as the air we breathe. Indeed, YOU ARE THE AIR THAT I BREATHE... YOU HOLY SPIRIT, LIVING IN ME...
Today, take the time to recognize, remain and reflect God's Presence!
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