Passion for His Presence

Passion for His Presence: 

“As the deer pants for the water brooks, So pants my soul for You, O God.” (Psalm 42:1)

Jesus said: “Behold, I stand at the door and knock. If anyone hears My voice and opens the door, I will come in to him and dine with him, and he with Me.”  (Revelation 3:20) 

What is passion? It can be defined as: “strong feeling or emotion” or “something that is desired intensely” or “a kind of enthusiastic fondness for anything.” Based on those definitions, would you say that you are passionate about being in the presence of God?   

For the past few weeks, I have had an unquenchable hunger and passion to be in the presence of God. I feel that the Lord is calling me – and indeed, all of His children – into a deeper more intimate and personal relationship with Him. I’ve been a Christian since August 1989, and I’ve been in the ministry since January of 1993, and I’ve had many awesome mountain top experiences in the presence of the Lord. But lately I’m so dissatisfied with where I’m at in my relationship with God. I want to know Him more. Like the Apostle Paul said in Philippians 3:10, “For my determined purpose is that I may progressively become more deeply and intimately acquainted with Him.” (The Amplified Bible). Are you passionate for His presence? Do you feel that longing in your heart for “something more?” That desire will only be fulfilled when you begin to seek after the Lord with all of your heart. If you’re passionate about His presence, then seek after Him. Pray and read your Bibles – not because you have to – but because you can encounter Jesus through the pages of His Word. Because you know that it’s in the secret place, in your prayer closets, and in meditating on God’s Word that you encounter Him personally.   

Take the time today to read through this Scripture slowly and prayerfully: 

“How lovely is your dwelling place, O LORD Almighty. I long, yes, I faint with longing to enter the courts of the LORD. With my whole being, body and soul, I will shout joyfully to the living God. Even the sparrow finds a home there, and the swallow builds her nest and raises her young – at a place near your altar, O LORD Almighty, my King and my God. How happy are those who can live in your house, always singing your praises. Happy are those who are strong in the LORD… When they walk through the Valley of Weeping, it will become a place of refreshing springs, where pools of blessing collect after the rains. They will continue to grow stronger, and each of them will appear before God in Jerusalem.  O LORD God Almighty, hear my prayer. Listen, O God of Israel…A single day in your courts is better than a thousand anywhere else. I would rather be a gatekeeper in the house of my God than live the good life in the homes of the wicked. For the LORD God is our light and protector. He gives us grace and glory. No good thing will the LORD withhold from those who do what is right. O LORD Almighty, happy are those who trust in you.” (Psalm 84:1-12). 

Have you experienced the beauty of the dwelling place of the presence of the Lord? Do you long to enter into that secret place with Him? There is a blessing to those who seek Him and choose to dwell in His presence. Take the time today to get alone with God in the secret place. Talk to Him. Worship Him. Read His Word. And let’s long for God passionately, just like the deer pants for the cool and refreshing water brooks.

Pastor Chris Jordan
www.beausejourchurch.ca