"With Somebody"

"With Somebody"

     

    Think about some activity that seems like monotonous drudgery.  Perhaps washing the dishes, or cutting the grass, or repetitive duties at work, or reading these devotiona… Hey!  Hold on there! :):)

    Now consider how we might experience these activities if we could perform them in the physical presence of the Lord Jesus Christ.  Take a moment and ponder that…  Now, admit that in the Lord's tangible presence, all that seems like monotonous drudgery would shine with the most thrilling light, life, and enthusiasm.  Even reading these messages might take on a new zest and meaning altogether!  Seriously, everything would change if performed with the Lord Jesus in line of sight, sound of voice, and presence of body.  "In Thy presence is fulness of joy; at Thy right hand there are pleasures forevermore" (Psalm 16:11).

   This scenario will not happen in this lifetime.  "We walk by faith, not by sight" (II Corinthians 5:7).  However, the Bible proclaims that we actually live in a presence far more substantial and tangible than physical senses can begin to offer.

   "We look not at the things which are seen, but at the things which are not seen: for the things which are seen are temporal; but the things which are not seen are eternal… Now faith is the substance of things hoped for, the evidence of things not seen" (II Corinthians 4:18; Hebrews 11:1).

   Born again believers in the Lord Jesus actually do all that we do in the presence of our Savior - "I am with you always" (Matthew 28:20).  He spiritually dwells with and within us.  This constitutes both a blessed and disturbing thought, depending on what we are doing.  For the present consideration, the Lord's abiding presence offers to us the opportunity to discover seeming drudgery transformed into significance, meaning, and fulfillment.  Consider washing the dishes.  Whether we load a machine or scrub with a cloth, the endeavor takes on completely new meaning when we realize that we do not perform our task alone.  "In all thy ways acknowledge Him" commanded Solomon (Proverbs 3:6).  We may not feel great emotion.  Bright lights of glory will not likely flash in our kitchen.  We may simply affirm our Lord's presence with and within us.  However, something happens deep in the heart when we determine to "see Him who is invisible" (Hebrews 11:27).  Responsibility becomes privilege, the undeserved grace of living in the loving and involved presence of One who so delights in our presence that He promises, "I will never leave thee, nor forsake thee" (Hebrews 13:5).  Indeed, washing dishes with the Lord Jesus Christ as "seen" by faith promises a different experience than wrongly viewing ourselves as alone.

   This truth applies to everything in our life.  No task must be performed alone.  No task is performed alone, even if we forget that our Lord dwells and walks in us.  We live our lives with Somebody, Somebody who provides the very Life of our lives (Deuteronomy 30:20).  He no less abides with us because we cannot see, hear, or touch Him.  Remembering and affirming this truth changes our perspective even if it does not alter how we feel.  Such faith enhances our experience of everyday occurrences, first by our determination "walk in truth", the truth of the Lord's presence (III John 1:4).  We also find ourselves far more able to do what we do in a manner that honors our Lord.  Finally, experiences await us at times wherein the acknowledgement of God with us opens our eyes and heart to some obvious manifestation thereof.  We don't force the issue, and we know that most often, our faith simply produces quiet assurance deep in the heart.  For now, this is enough as we honor our Lord's faithfulness by choosing to see Him  in a far greater way than our eyes allow.   Yes, His physical presence would change everything.  His spiritual presence, realized and affirmed, does change everything.

"I will dwell in them and walk in them."

(II Corinthians 6:16)

"We are laborers together with God."

(I Corinthians 3:9)

Weekly Memory Verse

    Walk in the Spirit and ye shall not fulfill the lusts of the flesh.

(Galatians 5:16)