His Presence Is Our PassionSample

God With Us

If we look at the two bookends to the Bible, we see that they have one important thing in common. In both the first two chapters of Genesis and the last two chapters of Revelation, we get a picture of humanity living in the fullness of God’s presence. Of course, our daily lives are lived between these images of perfect intimacy with God, but they frame our hopes and longings. Every human has a deep desire to walk with God, to be known and loved, and secure in Him.

We are made to be with God, to find our identity and fulfillment in Him. We are hardwired for this relationship, but humanity has been exiled from His presence. We all experience this reality of being broken and alienated from God, but the cool thing we find in the Bible is that God doesn’t stand back waiting for us to find our way back to him. He comes to us. The stories in the Bible remind us repeatedly that our God reaches toward us to be with us.

When God appeared to Moses for the first time, he did it by coming close and talking to him from a shrub that was on fire. Then later, when Moses was leading the people away from Egypt, God went with them in a visible column of cloud during the day and a column of fire at night. When they received the 10 Commandments, God appeared to the nation as a massive thunderstorm with an earthquake and a cloud of fire.

Not long after this, the Israelites made a special tent (called the tabernacle) that could travel with them on their way to the promised land. It was a mobile temple where God’s presence would stay. Whenever they set up camp, God told them to put their tabernacle at the center of the massive campsite. God wanted His presence to be right in the middle of His people.

This is so central to God’s character that He becomes part of His creation and lives amongst us; it’s what we call the incarnation, the birth of Jesus. And when Jesus leaves the earth, He promises (and then sends) His Spirit to be with every believer, every day.

In many ways, the maturity of our faith can be measured in terms of our confidence in this aspect of who God is. Throughout the Bible, He promises to be with us, to never leave us or forsake us - but learning to live our lives in this truth is where our trust grows. His presence can guide, comfort, empower and transform us. The more we experience God’s daily presence, the more we discover the wonder of what we’ve been given in Jesus. In these devotions, we’re going to explore how that changes everything.

Reflection Questions

1. When have I been most aware of God’s presence with me?
2. What are the things that make me feel distant or alienated from God?
3. What is an aspect of God’s presence that I want to experience more?