Benefits of Entering God’s Presence
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A COUPLE OF WEEKS AGO, while I was in the Secret Place . . .
He who dwells in the secret place of the Most High
Shall abide under the shadow of the Almighty. Psalm 91
…I met Jesus in a vision-encounter
We sit shoulder-to-shoulder sideways on the 2-person hammock, legs dangling. I say, “What’s on the Father’s heart?”
Completely relaxed and staring into the blue sky, Jesus replies, “I like hanging with you.”
I giggle and cry simultaneously at His double meaning. But I’m perplexed at why it appears He’s not paying attention to me, so I ask again, “What’s on the Father’s heart?”
A liquid blue fire (His heart) expands in front of us, and indiscernible, moving images form inside it.
“My people are too busy for Me,” the Lord says.
I immediately think phones, TV, Facebook, long work hours…
Slightly frustrated at not ‘hearing’ more, I moved into my usual time of reading Scripture. Picking up where I’d left off the day before in the book Hebrews, I came to verses about entering God’s Rest…
“Take care, brothers and sisters, that none of you has an evil heart of unbelief that falls away from the living God. But encourage one another day by day—as long as it is called “Today”—so that none of you may be hardened by the deceitfulness of sin…” Hebrews 3:12-19
The Israelites (fresh out of Egypt) had not entered God’s rest because of their unbelief. This same unbelief is what prevented Jesus from doing miracles in His own hometown Matthew 13:58. That’s serious!
Unbelief, apistia (Greek): unbelief, unfaithfulness, distrust.
I did a self-evaluation on the spot. Am I negative or pessimistic? No, I no longer believe the worst will happen. I have confidence in the future. Enter into rest…
Do I complain to God or grumble among my friends? Great red flags, but no, I kicked the complaining habit. Enter into rest…
Do I “make every effort to enter” God’s rest, Hebrews 4:11? Double-take. Every effort? I don’t know.
I get the unbelief part, and clearly we are an overworked society — by choice. But, I mean, this rest can’t only be about being lazy one day a week, right? Am I missing a deeper significance?
For we who have trusted are entering into that rest. … Hebrews 4:3 (emphasis mine). It doesn’t say we WILL enter, but we ARE ENTERING.
That’s when it hit me. He wasn’t ‘not paying attention’ to me in the Secret Place — we merely came together with clashing agendas. I had entered into — more like rushed into — His rest, His presence, and immediately started asking questions. Wanting to know what’s on God’s heart is never a bad thing. But the Lord just wanted me to “be” with Him, and let His agenda overrule my own.
So I return to our hammock. “Sorry, Lord. You wanted to just hang with me, and I jumped into a question session.”
Closing my eyes, (and shutting my mouth), I clear my mind and relax against Him. I immediately realize how tense my muscles are (at 6am). The more I relax and melt in against Him, the more my soul starts to let down. Tears of tension, stress, worries, frustration…come pouring out — something I needed but couldn’t see. Oh, the glory of release…in the safety of a Holy, Gentle, Loving Lord.
Entering His rest takes on a whole new meaning, and I don’t want to leave. I don’t want to talk about anything. I just want to . . . rest beside this still Water that’s restoring my soul.
“Oh, that You would kiss me with the kisses of Your mouth!
For Your love is more delightful than wine.” Song of Solomon 1:2
No words can describe the supernatural healing that flows into and through me while resting in His glory, in the green pasture of His Presence.
‘Hanging with Him’ is the more important thing, the life-giving thing. Receiving His Life in exchange for mine. Just as Mary, sister of Martha, chose to set aside all else and simply sit at the feet of Jesus, do we simply be in the Lord’s Presence?
“Mary has chosen the good part, and it will not be taken from her.” -Jesus Luke10
I desire this “good part.” Do you?
3 benefits of simply “being” in His presence:
- He will show you the deep, meaningful things on His heart
- You will suddenly gain wisdom you need for a certain matter (or the matter will no longer exist)
- You will receive a full charge of His everlasting life into your drained-battery soul
When is the last time you hung out with the Lord without a to-do list?
Just be with Him, whose effects are better those of wine.
This hanging out time ‘will not be taken away from you.’
Yes, we should regularly examine our lives to root out iPhone dependency, excessive TV, Facebook mania, enslavement to Social Media, anything that devours Rest time. But FIRST entering His rest with deliberate intentions just to be with Him will bring clarity and ease to that process . . . and more.
Are you ready for some quality Rest?
Don’t wait! Do it today. Every day.
Your health is worth it. You’re worth it.
2 Comments
Bless you! I really needed this today. Thank you for reminding me to take a “rest” with the Lord.
Hey, sis. Glad you dropped by.