Do you want to experience God’s presence every day? When we read Psalm 139 we can see that there is nothing we have to fear. God sees all, he knows what is coming, and if we wait on God to preserve us, there is nothing that can destroy us. Even in death, we find God’s presence. Does this mean that we don’t need to spend time with God? We need to develop a relationship with God if we are Christians. See Matthew 6:33, “Seek first God’s kingdom and His righteousness.” There are practical things that we can do.

1 – Turn to the Lord in the first few moments of waking each day

We are told our last thoughts at night determine to a large degree the quality of our sleep and our first thoughts in the morning influences our attitudes to life. If your day begins with God, it is more likely to continue and end with Him.

It has been said “When you open your eyes the light comes in, when you open your mouth the air comes in and when you open your heart, the Lord comes in”. We are to turn to the Lord in an attitude of spiritual expectancy. Many Christians do not expect anything spiritually exciting to happen to them during the day. All they expect is to muddle through. This is serious and very sad! They get nothing from God because they expect nothing from God! Such people think it is inconceivable that God should want to speak to them, guide them or reveal Himself to them in a new and fresh way. The Word of God says however that God waits for us expecting, looking and longing to be gracious to us. Should we not look at Him the same way?

2 – A morning quiet time

This gives us directions for the day and provides us with a fountain of life giving water at which we can quench our thirst throughout the day. Those who say they can live in a state of strong spiritual awareness without having definite times for prayer will eventually find they neglect both. To do so is about as senseless as saying that one can live in a state of physical nourishment without eating regularly. Even Jesus felt the need for three simple habits:-

• Reading the scriptures. See Luke 4:16-28.
• Spending time in prayer. See Matthew 14:23.
• Sharing with others. See Matthew 21:42.

If Jesus couldn’t get along without these then how can we hope to? It is through Scripture reading, prayer and sharing that life speaks to life.

3 – Ask God if He has anything to say to you

Sometimes God has something special and personal to say to us. We have to wait a little for this to happen. If your mind wonders then pray for the things entering your thoughts. Let these apparent distractions become a direction. A notebook or pen is good to jot down what the Lord may say to you. Watch out for any blockades that would prevent God speaking to you. E.g. Impurity, pride and resentment.

It is important to be relaxed as this helps us to be more open to God. If you have the idea that God is angry with you then you will not want to be open to Him. This is a wrong concept of God. It is true that God disciplines us but His reproofs are loving and gentle. He loves you as you are but loves you too much to let you stay as you are.

4 – Order your day on the basis of a divine partnership

It is useful to plan what you have to do that day and let the Lord be involved in every part of it. The responsibilities are not “mine” but rather “ours”. (Lord + I). You can talk it over as you would with your wife or husband. E.g. “What shall we do about this matter Lord?” or “How shall we handle that situation”, etc.

Our Almighty God takes a keen interest in every detail of our lives and is willing to team up with us. We can walk arm in arm with our “Senior Partner”. We are never alone. However, partnership with God does not mean that He dominates us. His purpose is to guide, not override, taking care not to snuff out any initiative and creativity. His guidance is obvious enough to be found, but not so obvious that it does away with the necessity of thought.

Does the day look like it will demand special courage and determination? Are you facing a situation that requires greater strength and confidence than you feel you have at the moment? Take heart in Christ that you have a partner who knows precisely how you feel, and if you ask Him, He will stamp His quiet courage and determination on your soul. Jesus was a person of immense courage and persevered in the face of growing opposition and certain crucifixion.

5 – Cultivate a praising heart

Psalm 100 speaks of entering His gates with thanksgiving and praise. There is always a reason to do both. You can be thankful you have been redeemed and give praise because God never changes! Praise, unlike thanksgiving, originates not so much in the feelings as in the will. Whenever you feel sad or depressed, acknowledge your feelings and then decide by an act of your will to focus your thoughts upon the goodness of God. Learn this and it will save you from prolonged periods of gloom. Fill your life with praise. This will cause God’s heart to rejoice and be beneficial to your own heart.

6 – Make a decision to break with all known sin

We need to give up our sin! You can examine your life by regularly answering these five questions.

• Have I been truthful and honest?
• Have I been impure?
• Have I allowed bitterness to take root?
• Has love been my motive in everything?
• Have I sought God’s glory or my own?

Remember, God has promised to always be with us and He is closer than the air we breathe. The Almighty God says we are always on His mind and He takes a very personal interest in all our lives. He isn’t thinking about His wonderful creation, mountains, stars or seas but rather you and me!

Categories: Psalms