Practising the Presence of God
As followers of Jesus, the most important thing we can possess in this life is our relationship with the Father. In fact it is not just about this life but the life to come – eternal life! There are so many distractions that come to turn our attention away from this one key relationship with our creator. These things are not necessarily unimportant but at times lack the proper timing and emphasis in our lives, so we become unbalanced. Jesus taught in His parables about finding the true meaning of life by which every other thing will find its proper expression. Jesus said,
“The Kingdom of Heaven is like a treasure that a man discovered hidden in a field. In his excitement, he hid it again and sold everything he owned to get enough money to buy the field.” (Mt. 13:44 NLT)
Like obtaining the treasure in the field, following Jesus Christ costs us our whole life, but we also gain all things as we seek God’s rule and reign in our lives above everything else (Mt. 6:33).
What does it actually mean to follow Jesus? I want to unpack this, somewhat. It can be easy for us to get stuck in rituals, religion, familiar methods, or yesterday’s insight, but at the heart of it, Jesus wants us to come to Him now – He is immanently present by the Holy Spirit. Jesus said to the religious people of His day,
“You search the Scriptures because you think they give you eternal life. But the Scriptures point to me! 40 Yet you refuse to come to me to receive this life.” (Jn. 5:39-40 NLT)
Jesus wants His followers to experience His presence, fellowship, rest, and His mission to others. It is from a position of rest in Christ that we can then find our purpose in Him.
I have followed Jesus now for over forty years and I have found frequently Him calling me back to Himself to a position of rest. It can be easy to get caught up in “the vision” and even doing good things for God but without keeping in step with the Holy Spirit there is a subtle deception that creeps in. Knowing Jesus, spiritually, is the key to real life, peace, joy, and fruitfulness. Jesus says,
“I am the Vine; you are the branches. The one who remains in Me and I in him bears much fruit, for [otherwise] apart from Me [that is, cut off from vital union with Me] you can do nothing. 6 If anyone does not remain in Me, he is thrown out like a [broken off] branch, and withers and dies; and they gather such branches and throw them into the fire, and they are burned. 7 If you remain in Me and My words remain in you [that is, if we are vitally united and My message lives in your heart], ask whatever you wish and it will be done for you.” (Jn. 15:5-7 AMP)
If we are “cut off” it is because we have run ahead of God. We can retain certain gifts and callings, though it can become more a “form of godliness though lacking the power” of true relationship (2Ti. 3:5 NASB). The good news is we can always receive afresh God’s renewal by the Holy Spirit and be renewed in our spirit, relationship with God, and our fruitfulness with Him. To remain in a place of striving and holding only a religious position, outside an actual relationship with Jesus, leaves us in a precarious position. Jesus says of those who strive in their own strength,
“Not everyone who calls out to me, ‘Lord! Lord!’ will enter the Kingdom of Heaven. Only those who actually do the will of my Father in heaven will enter. 22 On judgment day many will say to me, ‘Lord! Lord! We prophesied in your name and cast out demons in your name and performed many miracles in your name.’ 23 But I will reply, ‘I never knew you. Get away from me, you who break God’s laws.’” (Mt. 7:21-23 NLT)
This is a very confronting and sobering passage of scripture, which actually reminds me regularly of the necessity to abide in Christ. Abiding means that I seek His friendship and that I remain obedient to His will and voice in my life.
Jesus describes the life and calling He has for us as being an individualised yoke. Yokes were used on cattle to assist them in ploughing the fields or hauling carts. An experienced heifer would be placed alongside a less experienced one who would then teach the younger heifer to carry the load together. Jesus invites us to be yoked to Him in the same way – His experience teaching us. Jesus’ way for us creates a rhythm for our lives, but we must embrace it and not throw off His yoke only to take on an ill-fitting one of our own design.
Jesus says,
“Are you tired? Worn out? Burned out on religion? Come to me. Get away with me and you’ll recover your life. I’ll show you how to take a real rest. Walk with me and work with me—watch how I do it. Learn the unforced rhythms of grace. I won’t lay anything heavy or ill-fitting on you. Keep company with me and you’ll learn to live freely and lightly.” (Mt 11:28-30 MSG)
Jesus presents to us a shared labour born out of love and God’s appreciation of our uniqueness (our strengths and frailties). True presence and immanence with God is found as we are yoked to Christ and His work – the Kingdom of God (Mt. 4:23). This changes the way I pray and spend time with God, as I want to know Christ and what moves His heart!
So, how do we access the presence and the immanence of God without striving, and what are the means by which God has invited us to do so? I believe God’s presence comes to us corporately and individually (in this dispensation of salvation history) in four experiences:
1. God’s Word - God’s Word reveals God to us when we listen, hear, and read scripture (scripture is God’s Word which witnesses Salvation History and the life, ministry, miracles, death, and resurrection of Jesus of Nazareth, the Son of God) (Ps. 19:7-11; Ps 119; 2Pe. 1:21; 2Ti. 3:16-17);
2. Creation - Creation through the design and beauty of an intelligent Creator (Gen. 1-2; Duet. 10:14; Ps. 19:1-6; Ps. 24:1-2; Ro. 1:19-20);
3. The immanent union and power of the Holy Spirit through His felt presence, fruits, gifts, and encouragement (Jn. 14-16; Acts 1:8; 1Co. 3:16; 2Co. 1:4; Gal. 5:22-23; 1Co. 6:19-20);
4. God’s indwelling and ministry through His people – the Body of Christ, the Church (Acts 2:42-47; Mk. 16:19-20; 1Co. 12; 1Pe. 2:5)
Jesus will be immanently present again with us, not just through the Holy Spirit, but when He returns to the earth in His glorified state (Rev. 22:12-21). We need to be able to allow for a dynamic view and experience of God’s presence and voice to us today through the confirmation and interdependent witness of these sources.
I don’t believe the Bible refers to a cessation of God’s presence, power, and activity in our lives with the ascension of Christ, but actually Jesus affirms the opposite. Jesus says that we believers will in fact know Him personally and move in the presence and power of God in the same way He did (Jn. 14:12-14; Jn. 16:5-15; Mt. 28:18-20; Acts 1:8). We need to be open to encountering God’s presence personally and dynamically in faith. This can be in the midst of, comparatively speaking, quite earthly moments such as walking on a beach, engaged in work, or doing the dishes!!
I am inspired by the life of “Brother Lawrence” (born Nicolas Herman, a 17th Century Carmelite Friar - The Practice of the Presence of God). Brother Lawrence sought to engage God in all of life and didn’t make distinctions between the spiritual and the mundane. Like Brother Lawrence who was a simple cook, we too can have a deeply satisfying relationship with our Creator through Jesus Christ, and practice drawing near to God daily. I have personally found some of the following steps and strategies helpful in developing my relationship with God through the Holy Spirit:
1. Make a time
2. Set a place with minimal distractions
3. Seek God through some of the following spiritual practices:
· Stillness, quietness, solitude, and reflection on scripture (this can be harder than it sounds!)
· Worship through music
· Spiritual retreats
· Prayer (five-finger-prayer, breath prayer, talking to God like I would a friend)
· Walk and pray in creation
· Praying in tongues
· Guided devotions
· Meditation on scripture (Lectio Divina)
· Reading and memorisation of the revealed scripture
· Reading or listening to the “Bible in One Year”
· Keeping a sabbath/rest as a means to seek God
· Fasting from food or preferred activities in order to set time aside to seek God (I haven’t mastered this one yet!)
· Confession and application of the scripture to renew my mind
· Responding in obedience to the prompts of the Holy Spirit to practically love and serve others
· Corporate fellowship, worship, public reading of scripture, and prayer (this should not replace our own devotional time but rather compliment it)
I’ll often draw on different combinations of these spiritual practices in different seasons of my life and walk with God.
So the question, what does it actually mean to follow Jesus, is primarily about being present with Him in trust and “oneness” of fellowship (Jn. 17:20-24 NLT). Being “in Christ” is about communion with Him, the Father, and the Holy Spirit, together with God’s people. This picture of oneness with God in John 17:20-24, is analogous, I think, to the traditional circle dance of the Croatians - the “Kolo dance” (my wife, Tara, has Croatian heritage). In the kolo circle dance there are many participants, and each member of the circle dance has a part to play in the choreography, timing, and unity of the movements together. There are no individuals just a community expression of rhythm, love, unity, joy, and the shared celebration of one another. As an analogy, it is like Jesus in John 17:20-24 is inviting us into the “circle dance of the Kingdom of God” which is described as a banquet or wedding feast – another great picture of relationship, joy, and celebration (Mt. 22:1-14 NLT).
Ultimately, every relationship takes work , including our relationship with God, and there are no set rules or patterns (this creates religion, legalism, and ultimately hypocrisy). My way of thinking of spiritual practices, like prayer or reading the Word, is all to do with the function of relationship. I don’t pray because of “I have to”, I pray because when I do pray God draws near to me and I hear His voice. I don’t read the Scriptures because “I have to”, I read the Bible because it enlightens me with divine wisdom and helps me see God’s path for my life and what pleases Him. As soon as we move from a position of freedom to a formula or practice where, “we have to” or “we should”, then we should ask ourselves, why? Why have we moved to a position of seeking God outwardly through religious practices that are not flowing from a living relationship with God. If this happens to me, I remind myself of the “why” and turn to God from my dead works or striving and ask for His grace to help me regain my freedom in relationship with Him.
My hope is that as we remain in Christ through a living and dynamic engagement with His Word, The Holy Spirit, the wonder of creation, and the love of the Church Community, that we will continue to see an authentic faith in Christ that is grounded in His living presence in the earth through people – The Kingdom of God.
Bless you,
Jason Kent (Senior Pastor, C3 Church Shellharbour)