When you pass through the waters, I will be with you,
and when you pass through the rivers, they will not sweep over you.
When you walk through the fire, you will not be burned; the flames will not set you ablaze.
For I am the Lord, your God, the Holy One of Israel, your Savior.
Isaiah 43:2-3
I will be honest. I don’t feel God’s Presence every minute of every day. But I have the faith to know that He is there because He promised. His Word tells us not to fear but sometimes there are reasons to fear, true? If you read the news or just step outside your door, you see a few. Did you notice that in the verse above, it says “When you pass through the waters…” ? Not “If” because He knows that because of sin, we will encounter trouble but He is with us. He is ever present, never leaving us, and that is our comfort. And His Word reminds us of this over and over.
If I say, “Surely the darkness will overwhelm me,
And the light around me will be night,”
Even the darkness is not dark to You,
And the night is as bright as the day.
Darkness and light are alike to You.
Psalms 139:11 and 12
Hebrews 13:5 says “Never will I leave you; never will I forsake you.” You cannot escape the Presence of God, but you may not feel it.
In Matthew 14:25-32, in the middle of a storm, Jesus walked on water. His disciples, who were terrified, did not feel His presence but Jesus said, “Take courage! It is I. Don’t be afraid.” The storms continued to rage until Jesus got into the boat. Yes, there was something to fear—a huge storm in a small fishing boat—but Jesus’ Presence brings peace and courage. And notice…Jesus did not say, “Take courage! I am calming the storm. Don’t be afraid.” Instead, with the winds raging, He said,”Take courage! It is I. Don’t be afraid.”
The truth is—Jesus doesn’t always calm the storms, at least not immediately. However He always calms His child with His Presence. I imagine Him saying,”Don’t worry! Yes there are winds that are strong and blowing and the waves are really high and frightening but I am God over everything. And if I do not calm the waves immediately, it is because I want you to watch Me walk on water.” I still don’t enjoy the storms that I have to go through and I don’t want to go through it all again, but what I do still cherish is the closeness I have felt with Him and how much I desired to be with Him and hear His words. I was desperate for His strength and I couldn’t get enough of Him.
Are you ready to accept His Presence in your life? Do you want to enjoy God in your life more than ever? If you said YES!, then take the time to pray and ask Him to give you faith and to teach you how to enjoy Him abundantly! He loves you and He created you with a desire for fellowship with Him. He is your Creator so He knows you more than you will ever know yourself. So you can trust Him always and know He will never leave you.
Feelings are just feelings and not facts. So not feeling His Presence doesn’t mean He is not there. Spend time in His Word and get to know Him. Hear His promises for yourself. Your faith will grow and so will your relationship with Him. Your life will blossom and there will be a peace that passes all understanding. And know that I am praying for you today, whatever you may need today. If you don’t have a relationship with Him, you can. All you have to do is ask Him into your heart.
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Pray with me today: Dear Jesus, I know I am a sinner and I need a Savior. I ask for forgiveness. I believe you died for my sins on the Cross and I am forgiven. Walk with me now and forever more. In Jesus’ name, amen.
