BEAUTY FOR ASHES

Sunday, February 03, 2008

PASSION FOR HIS PRESENCE

“As the deer pants for the water, so pants my soul for you, O God.” (Psalm 42:1)
“Jesus said, “Behold, I stand at the door and knock, if anyone hears my voice and opens the door, I will come in to him and sine with him, and he with me.” (Revelation 3:20)

What is passion? It can be defined as: “strong feeling or emotion” or “something that is desired intensely” or “a kind of enthusiastic fondness for anything.” Based on those definitions, would you say that you are being passionate about being in the presence of God?

Many I have talked to have had a unquenchable hunger and passion to be in the presence of God. The Lord is calling all of His children into a deeper more intimate and personal relationship with Him. Many have had some awesome mountain top experiences with God, but are dissatisfied with where they are at in their relationship with Him. They want to know Him more. “For my determined purpose is that I may progressively become more deeply and intimately acquainted with Him.” (Philippians 3:10) Are you passionate for His presence? Do you feel that longing in your heart for “something more”? That desire will only be fulfilled when you begin to seek after the Lord with all of your heart. If you are passionate about His presence, then seek after Him. Pray, read your Bible, not because you have to, but because we can encounter Jesus through the pages of His Word! Because we know that it’s in the secret place, in our prayer closets, and in meditating on God’s Word that we encounter Him personally.

“How lovely is your dwelling place, O Lord Almighty. I long, yes, I faint with longing to enter the courts of the Lord. With my whole being, body and soul, I will shout joyfully to the living God. Even the sparrow finds a home there, and the swallow builds her nest and raises her young, at a place near your alter. O Lord almighty, my King and my God! How happy are those who can live in your house, always singing your praises. Happy are those who are strong in the Lord…When they walk through the Valley of Weeping, it will become a place of refreshing springs, where pools of blessing collect after the rains! They will continue to grow stronger, and each of them will appear before God in Jerusalem. O Lord God Almighty, hear my prayer. Listen, O God of Israel…A single day in your courts is better than a thousand anywhere else! I would rather be a gatekeeper in the house of my God than live the good life in the homes of the wicked. For the Lord god is our light and protector. He give us grace and glory. No good thing will the Lord withhold from those who do what is right. O Lord Almighty, happy are those who do what is right. O Lord Almighty, happy are those who trust in you.” (Psalm 84:1-12)

There is a blessing for those who seek Him. Take time today to get alone with Him in the secret place. Talk to Him, worship Him. Long for God passionately.

0 Comments:

Post a Comment

<< Home