Our preference for the Lord’s presence here on earth provides a simple snapshot of our desire to be in His presence in heaven. If we don’t love to be with Jesus now, it could be a major sign of our preference for the world over Him. The fact is, when I get to heaven, my choice will be revealed and I shouldn’t be surprised by it.
If we’re seeking His presence now while on earth, we’re likely to live in His presence in heaven. If we don’t seek the presence of Christ now, we probably won’t be in His presence in heaven. A very sober thought indeed!
The Presence of the Lord
The sheer weight of this responsibility in our lives is huge. And the repercussions of our earthly actions are too broad in scope not to sit up and take notice. We aren’t going to enter into our heavenly Reward in a slovenly manner. Our actions and choices will be deliberate. Either we will deliberately seek and find Christ’s Life, or we will deliberately deny Him. It is just that cut and dry.
Even while doing major work for Him, we can be preferring something over Him. I have learned that some of the most diligent Christian workers are actually working themselves away from Jesus, not to Him. Effort and activity don’t indicate a preference for Christ; they merely reveal our exertion.
Imagine, I could bust my hump in service to the Lord and it not be about the Lord at all! This has been my experience and observation as I have walked with Jesus. Service evidences nothing about the aim of the heart. On the contrary, sometimes it actively obscures it.
Way into His Presence
In truth, seeking the Lord can actually be some of the simplest work. Notice I used the term “simple,” but not easy. The work is stopping, fixing our gaze on Jesus, and listening to His voice. God our Father desires this more than we might expect, and He has made a Way into His presence through His Son. The reason this might not be easy is that we often don’t like to wait and lay aside our doings in order to court His favor. It is a stark choice for God over self.
Christ opened the Way for us to experience intimate fellowship with our heavenly Father. A high price was paid so that we could enter into the Holy of Holies, the very presence of God. Jesus says, “Come freely, my friends! The Way has been paid!” I don’t have to earn it, but I do have to believe it. With this stellar offering, why wouldn’t I run to receive? Our preference for the presence of Christ is a receiving of the Father’s Gift. It will be fulfilled with Reward and blessing. Scripture says that we will find God when we seek for Him with all our hearts. And it is in Him where we find Life, Love and fullness of Joy.
You make known to me the path of life; in Your presence there is fullness of joy; at Your right hand are pleasures forevermore.
Psalm 16:11 ESV
You have said, “Seek My face.” My heart says to you, “Your face, Lord, do I seek.”
Psalm 27:8 ESV
You will seek Me and find Me, when you seek Me with all your heart.
Jeremiah 29:13 ESV
“simple,” but not easy…’
This resonates with me—straightforward but requiring my will to LET, to WAIT. When I’m in it, it’s as I’m floating like a feather. Im not in it often enough—lol!
I look to be in it but life can tempt me to come out of His presence and enter effort. Yuck! Love you LeAnn!
Effort…why would i try, try, to be beast & burden of ‘self’?! He took my old-man self to the Cross & paid its deathly cost for me. What Good News the Gospel IS! Thank you for this: Jesus says, “Come freely my friends! The way has been paid ” I can’t help but think of a fire drill, & maybe that’s appropriate: ‘stop..gaze on Jesus..listen to His voice.’ Whole-hearted preference for Christ! How beautifully you portray God’s invitation to come, to believe Him…in those very area’s we/I’ve struggled in. To see them by the Spirit isn’t so we’ll ‘do something… Read more »
He is the Reward of it all! Love you Helen, thank you for sharing!
We are so often on the same page if the heart. I needed some conformation about some situations. I told someone the other day…if I go before you..when you come you will find me on the crystal sea dancing in His arms or in a meadow playing with Jesus, children,and animals! That is pretty much the life we share now…only the dancing is on land. When we travel from place to place I will be in his pocket over His heart or snuggled at His cheek. My heart’s desire! I never wanted a mansion…Ijust want to live inside of Him.… Read more »
The good news Deborah is we can live in Him today, which you know is the closest possible place we can be. There is no closer position than union. I love this reality! “My old identity has been co-crucified with Messiah and no longer lives; for the nails of His cross crucified me with Him. And now the essence of this new life is no longer mine, for the Anointed One lives His life through me—we live in union as one! My new life is empowered by the faith of the Son of God who loves me so much that… Read more »
“Give your heart to the heavenly things, not to the passing things of earth. For, as far as this world is concerned, you are already dead, and your true life is a hidden He in Christ.” Yes – and although difficult to articulate or explain how that manifests to someone who doesn’t find their own life hidden in Christ, it’s often surprisingly apparent even to me. Such awful tragedy can happen, yet my heart remains at peace. He even carries the sorrow unless I take my gaze off of Him and focus on myself, making it about me. But! It’s… Read more »