You will fill me with joy in your presence.
Psalm 16:11
How do you experience the presence f God? Would you describe the event as fun? Satisfying? Pleasurable? How about the description given by the Psalmist, full of joy? Does the event happen in prayer? Bible study? While walking in a forest? Holding your child? Just talking to God casually as you go about daily routine? The details of the experience probably vary as widely as humans, but one easily overlooked aspect is that all these experiences come from a single source: It is God who graciously provides the experience, not our holiness or performing a certain task that forces Him to give.
One of the errors of modern thinking is to view God as nothing greater than a slightly more powerful version of ourselves. The Almighty Creator of the Universe becomes our side-kick, companion or good buddy. Holiness is lost as we barge into the Throne room as though we had a right to be there on our own merit.
There is an aspect of gentle companionship and father/child closeness between humans who want to know Him and God, but that privilege should never be taken for granted or minimized as though we deserved His grace.
Thank God we don’t get what we deserve! We get something so much better. We get grace and with that gift the delight of feeling the joy as He chooses to allow us to draw near.
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