June 23rd
June 23rd
Multiple times in the last few weeks things have happened in the morning that prevented me from having my planned quiet time with the Lord. Finally, today I was so frustrated about it and was venting that frustration to the Lord.
Guess what verse the Lord put in my face?
Psalm 23:5 You prepare a table before me in the presence of my enemies. You anoint my head with oil; my cup overflows.
Ha! Funny how that is exactly the message in the sermon series! As I was dealing with the situation that was interfering with my quiet time, the Lord reminded me that meeting Him at the table for a “meal” of His presence each morning is good and necessary, but when unexpected things happen that prevent us from sitting together quietly, He doesn’t just stay sitting at the table waiting for me to come back. He moves the table to where I am. He meets me in the presence of my enemies. Yes, quiet uninterrupted time with Him in my usual spot is ideal, but sometimes life gets unexpectedly messy and so He moves our meeting to the battlefield, the valley of the shadow of death, or anywhere else that we need to be.
I felt Him quieting my heart this morning in the middle of the mess and telling me that He needs me to be able to lean in to His presence in the middle of it all, at any time, not just in the quiet space when it is easy to feel Him there. I can’t let not being able to do my usual routine get me so frustrated that I don’t seek to fellowship with Him in the crazy circumstances.
We should always seek to start our day at the table with Jesus, but when things happen that prevent it, we must recognize that we can fellowship with Him even when there are arrows flying all around us. As this world gets crazier, we may find ourselves in the middle of more messes; so that means having experience tapping into the presence of the Lord even when things go sideways is a good thing. Maybe that is what He is trying to teach me.
We must be faithful to make time with the Lord a priority if we want to be His followers and watch Him move in our lives. We do have to be careful to make it a PRIORITY. But we can do it anywhere and anytime. It may mean getting up earlier or shutting down our screens earlier, but when we do those things and life brings things in our path that prevent us from our usual schedule, we have to remember that He is right there with us no matter where that is.
Genesis 28:15 I am with you and will watch over you wherever you go, and I will bring you back to this land. I will not leave you until I have done what I have promised you.”
God promised Abraham, Isaac, and Jacob in Genesis that He would be with them WHEREVER they go, and He gives us this same promise. He will not leave us until He has done what He has promised us. In Matthew at the end of the passages where Jesus gave us the great commission, He made this same promise to always be with us to the very end of time.
Matthew 28:20b “…And surely I am with you always, to the very end of the age.”
Psalm 139:7-12 Where can I go from your Spirit? Where can I flee from your presence? If I go up to the heavens, you are there; if I make my bed in the depths, you are there. If I rise on the wings of the dawn, if I settle on the far side of the sea, even there your hand will guide me, your right hand will hold me fast. If I say, “Surely the darkness will hide me and the light become night around me,” even the darkness will not be dark to you; the night will shine like the day, for darkness is as light to you.
Jesus, thank you that you are always with me. Thank you for bringing the meal to the battlefield not just in the quiet places at home. Help my heart to learn to quickly adjust when I am presented with circumstances that are different than my usual schedule. Thank you for not having any boundaries on your presence Lord. Thank you for teaching me to seek you everywhere.