By Anita Mondragon

 

I hear people all the time ask for the blessings of God…I daresay I’ve done it myself a few times.  Nothing wrong with that, except most of the time, we crave the blessings-the PRESENTS more than the actual PRESENCE of God.  There’s something about our flesh that desires the material things of this world more than the unseen indwelling of God with us.  

 

Have you ever found yourself in deep thought of God and His goodness?  You begin to thank Him for the big things in your life, you know…your health, your job, your house, your car….  Then you move to the “small” things, the things we take for-granted, like our next breath…  The more you thank Him, the closer you feel Him come to you; pretty soon, it’s like He’s sitting right next to you…or like you are a child sitting in His lap.   THAT presence far out-weighs the other presents!  Even if it’s not tangible to others, you carry it with you forever!

 

I remember one such incident that happened to me years ago.  I was sitting in church.  The pastor was preaching.  God turned my head ever so slightly and urged me to pray for the person that came into my view.  I did not know this person, nor do I to this day, but I followed the urging of the Holy Spirit.  As I did not know this person or their needs, I was surprised at the groaning that took place in my spirit.  I began to weep uncontrollably and plead on their behalf that they would find their way to the altar and not leave before accepting Jesus that night.  I was so deeply entreating for their soul, that the service was long over and I had to be lead out by someone.  I inquired later about the person and found out that they had indeed gone up for Salvation.  I was happy in my soul!  I knew God had heard my prayers and answered them.  That was a long time ago, but I still long for the presence of God to come over me in that manner again!  

 

God is good!  He blesses us every day with ‘presents.’  But to get the real benefit…we need to ask for His PRESENCE…that will sustain us when the ‘presents’ have long been gone!

There’s nothing worth more that could ever come close
No thing can compare, You’re our living hope
Your presence, Lord-Francesca Battistelli