Reflections on the “Gift of Presence!” February 6, 2024

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.

And so, from the day we heard, we have not ceased to pray for you, asking that you may be filled with the knowledge of His will in all spiritual wisdom and understanding, so as to walk in a manner worthy of the Lord, fully pleasing to Him: bearing fruit in every good work and increasing in the knowledge of God;  being strengthened with all power, according to His glorious might, for all endurance and patience with might, for all endurance and patience with joy. Colossians 1:9-11.

A free gift is always a pleasure to receive. My latest gift is a bouquet of flowers to celebrate my wedding anniversary. The roses were so rich in beauty. I drink in its beauty, designed by God. “All flesh is like grass and all its glory like the flower of grass. The grass withers, and the flower falls, but the Word of the Lord remains forever.” I Peter 1:24-25. The petals of the rose will soon fall. Yet. There is a gift that cannot rust or be stolen. “Do not lay up for yourselves treasures on earth, where moth and rust destroy and where thieves break in and steal, but lay up for yourselves in heaven, where neither moth nor rust destroys and where thieves do not break in and steal.” Matthew 6:19-20.

There is sin and there is redemption, a free gift! For the wages of sin is death, but the free gift of God is eternal life in Christ Jesus, our Lord. Romans 6:23. When did this free gift come to be? And an angel of the Lord appeared to them, and the glory of the Lord shone around them, and they were filled with great fear. And the angel said to them, “Fear not, for behold, I bring you good news of great joy that will be for all the people. For unto you is born this day in the city of David a Savior, who is Christ the Lord. Luke 2:9-11.

 A great star in the heavens led the Wise Men to see Jesus. To whom was the news of Jesus, fully man, and fully God, delivered? To the shepherds in the fields, who were the first to worship Jesus.

Why did Jesus come to earth? “For God so loved the world, that He gave His only Son, that whoever believes in Him, should not perish but have eternal life.  For God did not send His Son into the world to condemn the world, but in order that the world might be saved through Him.” John 3:16-17.

How long has God loved us? Blessed be the God and Father of our Lord Jesus Christ who has blessed us in Christ with every spiritual blessing in the heavenly places, even as He chose us in Him before the foundation of the world, that we should be holy and blameless before Him. In love, He predestined us for adoption to Himself as sons through Jesus Christ, according to the praises of His will, to the praise of his glorious grace, with which He has blessed us in the Beloved. Making know to us the mystery of His will, according to His purpose, which He set forth in Christ as a plan for the fullness of time, to unite all things in Him, things in heaven and things on the earth. Ephesians 1:3-6, 10.

What is the difference of a spiritual joy and a brief fun moment on earth? Oh, sing to the Lord a new song, for He has done marvelous things! His right hand and His holy arm have worked salvation for him. The Lord has made known His salvation; He has revealed His righteousness in the sight of the nation. He has remembered His steadfast love and faithfulness to the house of Israel. All the ends of the earth have seen the salvation of our God. Psalm 98:1-3.

Are the angels silent? No, when they know joy and rejoice when someone on earth gives their heart to Jesus, believing and trusting in Him. And when He comes home, He calls together his friends and his neighbors, saying to them, ‘Rejoice with me, for I have found my sheep that was lost.’ Just so, I tell you, there will be more joy in heaven over one sinner who repents than over ninety-nine righteous persons who need no repentance. Luke 15:6-7.

While in a nursing home for 4 months, and asked often, are you depressed or sad? I thought about the questions and my inability to move because of several fractures. I pondered that question. The verses from James One comes to my mind.

Count it all joy, my brothers, when you meet trials of various kinds, for you know that the testing of your faith produces steadfastness. And let steadfastness have its full effect that you may be perfect and complete, lacking in nothing James 1:2-4. My answer remained the same—No! I still had faith and believed in Jesus through the waiting for healing in God’s Time! Then I came home on December 15th.

Oh, what Joy awaits us when Jesus calls us Home. “Rejoice in the Lord always; again, I will say rejoice. Let your reasonableness be known to everyone. The Lord is at hand; do not be anxious about anything, but in everything by prayer and supplication with thanksgiving let your requests be made known to God. And the peace of God, which surpasses all understand, will guard your hearts and. Your mind in Christ Jesus!” Philippians 4:4-7. What is rejoicing? It is between the Grace that brings Joy in the Lord!

His glory is great through your salvation; splendor and majesty you bestow on him. For you make him most blessed forever, you make him glad with the Joy of Your Presence. For the king trusts in the Lord, and through the steadfast love of the Most High, He shall not be moved. Psalm 21:5-7.

 What is our purpose on earth? Therefore, we are ambassadors for Christ, God making His appeal through us. We implore you on behalf of Christ, be reconciled to God. For our sake He made Him to be sin who knew no sin, that in Him, we might become the righteousness of God. 2 Corinthians 5: 20-21. For we are His workmanship, created in Christ Jesus for good works, which God prepared beforehand, that we should walk in them. Ephesians 2:10.

As we enjoy the gift of His Presence each day, we pray, The Lord Lift up His countenance upon you and give you peace! Numbers 6:26.