The Influence of His Presence

Psalm 142
v.3 When my spirit grows faint within me, it is You who know my way.
v.5 I cry to You, O Lord; I say, "You are my refuge, my portion in the land of living."

v.6 Listen to my cry, for I am in desperate need; rescue me from those who pursue me, for they are too strong for me.

v.7 Set me free from my prison, that I may praise Your name. Then the righteous will gather about me because of Your goodness to me.

We can lose our way in many situations. We can be distracted from our focus on God, our connection in Christ, both by want and by surplus. Our spirits will grow faint when we fail to wholeheartedly seek God at the start of the day, throughout the day, at the close of the day, and in the night when sleep leaves us for a time.

If we feel we are facing a shortage of what we need, our minds can try to take over, working out ways for us to get what we anticipate needing. How often do we find, afterwards, that God allowed that particular resource to run out since He was taking us in a different direction and we didn't need any more of it?

Our souls can become complacent, relaxed, settled in, if we see what appears to be a surplus, a predictable provision, a visibly reliable source available for our needs. However, it is our spirits that God has prepared a rest for; our souls must stay active, working, dealing with daily issues to be healthy and appreciative of all God gives us. When God pours out an abundance into our lives, it is for a work He has trusted us to do. What comes into our lives will have a place to be given out to others, not stored and consumed by our own appetites.

No matter how our focus drifts, we can come back into relation with God by turning our backs to the attitude and way of thinking that distracted us and start once again crying, praying, talking to God. His Spirit guides us as we seek Him and His love meets us as we yield to His authority and direction.

Revelation 14:7 He said in a loud voice, "Fear God and give Him glory, because the hour of His judgment has come. Worship Him who made the heavens, the earth, the sea and the springs of water."

We leave an influence behind us, no matter where we go. Into every situation that we are a part of, we inject a sense of who we belong to and follow. Others are affected by our presence, whether we have evidence of it or not. This is why it is so important to be close to and current with God throughout each day, actively, desperately, in a disciplined way, pressing closer to Him against the current of the world's distractions.

God places us into circumstances not of our own making so that we can bring His solution rather than become part of the problem. In His typical fashion, He leads us to ignore evil rather than actively fight it. Instead, He equips us to encourage and build up rather than tear down. By our example we can show others that happiness is a by-product of living the right way, not the object of a search. The power of our example is always greater than the result of what we say. Let our lives reflect the God who lives in us, making us different from the world, and showing the transforming presence of His love and grace.

Revelation 14:12 This calls for patient endurance on the part of the saints who obey God's commandments and remain faithful to Jesus.

Father God, You are always with us and Your resources are within our reach -- we only need to ask. You are gracious and generous and lavish in Your gifting and provisioning of our lives, Lord. We bless You and thank You and praise You. It is not by our might, or is it by our power that change occurs, O Lord. Rather it is by Thy Spirit that miracles are wrought and lives are changed and hearts are renewed. We pray that we will be attentive to the small things You direct us in, for that is where the true power of heaven lies, just as it did in a manger long ago. Thank You for the many small ways You work in our lives and the lives of those around us.

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