December 14, 2010 – Our Gifts to God: Presence
Scripture: Psalm 16:11
You make known to me the path of life; you will fill me with joy in your presence, with eternal pleasures at your right hand.
Devotion:
Continuing our look at our gifts to God, I’d like to look at presence. Usually we think of God’s presence as His gift to us but I think there is a reciprocal nature to presence. We come into God’s presence when we worship and praise Him. But are we really present. How often do we pray, serve or worship and our minds are elsewhere. We are not fully engaged. When we are in a relationship with someone, we show it by being joyful in their presence and we are fully present in our being there; we are engaged in the relationship – it is not passive but active.
Tonight before we left from visiting Dad at Piedmont Hospital, I grabbed his hand. He didn’t say anything but tightly gripped mine (now mind you he had been talking to Mom and I just minutes before). I squeezed his hand back. Presence was all that was needed. Isn’t that the real sentiment of “I’ll Be Home for Christmas”?
Shouldn’t we really gift God with our full presence? How do you engage yourself in your relationship with God?
Take me past the outer courts
Into the Holy Place
Past the brazen altar
Lord I want to see your face
Pass me by the crowds of people
And the Priests who sing your praise
I hunger and thirst for your righteousness
But it’s only found in one place
Take me into the holy of holies
Take me in by the blood of the lamb
Take me into the holy of holies
Take the coal, touch my lips, here I am
— “Take Me In” – Kutless
