Meditations on God’s Word

TeacherStudent

ONE IN THE LORD

One in Christ

 

…But God has put the body together, giving greater honor to the parts that lacked it, 25 so that there should be no division in the body, but that its parts should have equal concern for each other. 26 If one part suffers, every part suffers with it; if one part is honored, every part rejoices with it. (I Corinthians 12:24-25)

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I fell and now have several metatarsal fractures in my foot. It just involves three toes, but the pain affects my whole foot, so I begin limping. This, in turn, puts more pressure on my other leg, which affects my hip and back. Limping isn’t buffering the foot enough, so I start using crutches, putting more stress on my hands, wrists, arms, and shoulders. This also affects my neck, ultimately leading to headaches. My energy is drained from the extra effort needed to move around. All this from just three little toes . . .

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We are unable to physically separate parts of ourselves from the form that God so wondrously and marvelously created and, still, have a whole, working body. If a part is removed or is not as functional, the other parts will have to assume more responsibility. This, in turn, will affect their purpose and functionality.

Paul used the analogy of the physical body when talking about the inter-relationship and inter-dependence of members in the body- the church: 13 For we were all baptized by one Spirit so as to form one body—whether Jews or Gentiles, slave or free—and we were all given the one Spirit to drink. 14 Even so the body is not made up of one part but of many. 15 Now if the foot should say, “Because I am not a hand, I do not belong to the body,” it would not for that reason stop being part of the body. 16 And if the ear should say, “Because I am not an eye, I do not belong to the body,” it would not for that reason stop being part of the body. 17 If the whole body were an eye, where would the sense of hearing be? If the whole body were an ear, where would the sense of smell be? 18 But in fact God has placed the parts in the body, every one of them, just as he wanted them to be. 19 If they were all one part, where would the body be? 20 As it is, there are many parts, but one body. 21 The eye cannot say to the hand, “I don’t need you!” And the head cannot say to the feet, “I don’t need you!” (I Corinthians 12:13-21)

 “No man is an island, Entire of itself . . .” 1

 What we must say to each other are the words:  “I do need you! You do need me!”  We each have God-given talents, gifts, interests, and purposes. I cannot say yours are less or greater than mine, and you cannot say mine are less or greater than yours. God has said we are all important and necessary to the functionality of the body –His church.  We are greater with each other—and less without each other.  There is a stress on the body when parts are not working with other parts:  25 . . . .  so that there should be no division in the body, but that its parts should have equal concern for each other. 26 If one part suffers, every part suffers with it; if one part is honored, every part rejoices with it. (I Corinthians 12:25-26)

Made to co-exist in one body, His church, we are dependent on each other for strength, support, hope, and growth. As individual parts, we cannot thrive; our faith is weakened, our hope diminished. Together with God, we are a stronghold against Satan. “The gates of hell shall not prevail” against this body, Christ’s church (Matthew 16:18).

In our current times, when Christianity and Christians are facing persecution and challenges to faith, we must function together as one body in Christ to be that strong fortress which will prevail and endure for His purpose.

1John Donne. www.poemhunter.com

(Sharon G. Tate blog 04/16/16) teacherforjesus.com  Meditations on God’s Word

TeacherStudent

Keeping a Mind/Heart Focus on God

 

whatever is noble etc

Truth, Honor, Justice, Purity, Loveliness, Graciousness, Excellence, Worthy of Praise

No, this is not a preview line leading us into a foreshadowing of traits we will see develop in a fictional heroine from a movie or novel. Instead, these words are from a directive by the Apostle Paul to the brethren at the church of Philippi, real people like you and me:

“(8) Finally, brethren, whatever is true, whatever is honorable, whatever is just, whatever is pure, whatever is lovely, whatever is gracious, if there is any excellence, if there is anything worthy of praise, think about these things. (9) What you have learned and received and heard and seen in me, do; and the God of peace will be with you” (Philippians 4:8-9).

Paul’s directive to keep a mind/heart-focus toward Godly fruits of the Spirit is crucial: “For as he thinks in his heart, so is he. . . (Proverbs 23:7).  What we think directs what we do and how we do it. Is it done with truth, honor, justice, purity, loveliness, graciousness, and excellence? Is it worthy of praise from God? Do we ask ourselves these questions before we act or speak?

 “Think—before you act” was one poster on my classroom door. I, sometimes, had it taped on both sides of the glass window, so students saw this message while entering and exiting from my room. Do we need a poster to remind us—to STOP and THINK before we ACT?

 What we put before our eyes will become what we see in our thoughts and, ultimately, what we do in our actions and utter in our speech.  The Israelites were told to constantly and consistently place the commandments before them and their children: 4 “Hear, O Israel: The Lord our God is one Lord, 5 and you shall love the Lord your God with all your heart, and with all your soul, and with all your might. 6 And these words which I command you this day shall be upon your heart; 7 and you shall teach them diligently to your children, and shall talk of them when you sit in your house, and when you walk by the way, and when you lie down, and when you rise. 8 And you shall bind them as a sign upon your hand, and they shall be as frontlets between your eyes. 9 And you shall write them on the doorposts of your house and on your gates. (Deuteronomy 6:4-9).

 I still have posters, plaques, and sayings to remind me to STOP and THINK. They are everywhere in my home. Some are included below:

**If you exit from the laundry room door to the garage, you will encounter one on that door:  “Help me to remember, Lord, that nothing’s going to happen today that you and I can’t handle together.”

**If you enter my condo from the garage, you will see the message: “God bless.”

**In my kitchen, you will see many messages, two being: “The Lord is my light and salvation.” (Psalm 27:1) and “Lord, guide me with your gentle hand.”

**In the dining room, there is the plaque “Prayer changes things” and the name “JESUS” in a wooden cast that some cannot clearly see until it is pointed out—and, from then on, it is before them.

**Moving to the living room, there is a picture of a deer herd near a stream of water with this scripture imprinted beneath:  “As the deer pants for water, so my soul pants for thee” (Psalm 42:1).

**In the hall, I have a crewel-embroidered and cross-stitched picture that I made of the 23rd Psalm.

**My favorite scripture is in my bedroom on the bedpost: “I can do all things through Christ who strengthens me” (Philippians 4:13). It is before me—and beside me–every morning and every night.

What reminds you to have a heart/mind focus on God and these fruits of the Spirit, to think always upon these things: Whatever is true, whatever is honorable, whatever is just, whatever is pure, whatever is lovely, whatever is gracious, whatever is excellent and whatever is worthy of praise. (Philippians 4:8) 

                What is before you—that reminds you constantly and consistently of God?

(Sharon G. Tate blog 04/10/16) teacherforjesus.com  Meditations on God’s Word

TeacherStudent

GO YE! “WITH GOD, ALL THINGS ARE POSSIBLE”

With God all things possible

              “But Jesus beheld them, and said unto them, ‘With men this is impossible,                             but with God all things are possible.’ ” (Matthew 19:26)

 “Go, Sharon. Go, Mary. Go, Gary. Go, Joe.”

The last words of Jesus to His disciples, as recorded in the books of Matthew and Mark, include the word “GO.” A comparison of various translations of the passage in the Bible where the Great Commission is given in Mark 16:15 and Matthew 28:19 also include another word–either “Go ye” or “Go you.” Even if the pronoun is not included, there is the understood “you” in the directive “GO” –Go (you).

Jesus did not say: “Go one. Go someone. Go somebody. Go anybody. Go others. Go no one. Go nobody.” The pronoun was not indefinite but personal, and yet, it was also not these forms: “Go she or Go he or Go they or Go we…” Instead, the chosen words by Jesus were “Go you.” My name can be substituted for “you” and so can yours: “Go, Sharon. Go, Mary. Go, Gary. Go, Joe.”

 ” God made you different so you can make a difference.” 1

The God-created differences in each one of us make us uniquely able to effect change around us and within others we personally come in contact with through our work, school, social relationships, and other connections.

 “If you desire to make a difference in the world, you must be different from the world.” 2

In Luke’s account, the disciples do not immediately “go” forth. Instead, Jesus tells them to wait until they receive the Holy Spirit to help them go forward in this cause to spread the gospel to all the world:

 44 He said to them, “This is what I told you while I was still with you: Everything must be fulfilled that is written about me in the Law of Moses, the Prophets and the Psalms.” 45 Then he opened their minds so they could understand the Scriptures. 46 He told them, “This is what is written: The Messiah will suffer and rise from the dead on the third day, 47 and repentance for the forgiveness of sins will be preached in his name to all nations, beginning at Jerusalem. 48 You are witnesses of these things. 49 I am going to send you what my Father has promised; but stay in the city until you have been clothed with power from on high.” (Luke 24:44-49)

They had to be different from the world–their minds opened to understand the scriptures, their appearance altered when “clothed with power” from God, their hearts changed by their witness of the life, death, burial, and resurrection of Jesus Christ.  Through God, it was possible to reach out to the nations and change the world. Man alone could not “go” forth and complete this important work.

That powerful helper, the Holy Spirit, is still here. That understanding of scripture is made available in the full Word of God. That heart change is possible from belief in the testimonies of those who witnessed Christ on this earth. The world is in desperate need of Jesus and His message of hope, forgiveness, and salvation. That “world” starts in the family home, the neighborhood, the workplace, and the community. It’s where difference begins and goes forward in ways we can never imagine, for “with God, all things are possible.”

 “You must be the change you wish to see in the world.” 3

                                                            GO YE!                                                                             

1Author unknown. wisesayings.com

²Elaine S. Dalton. wisesayings.com

³Mahatma Gandhi. brainyquote.com

 (Sharon G. Tate blog 04/03/16) teacherforjesus.com  Meditations on God’s Word

TeacherStudent

The Good News: JESUS HAS RISEN!

 

 easter-he-is-not-here-for-he-is-risen

When the Sabbath was over, Mary Magdalene, Mary the mother of James, and Salome bought spices so that they might go to anoint Jesus’ body. 2 Very early on the first day of the week, just after sunrise, they were on their way to the tomb 3 and they asked each other, “Who will roll the stone away from the entrance of the tomb?”                                                

4 But when they looked up, they saw that the stone, which was very large, had been rolled away. 5 As they entered the tomb, they saw a young man dressed in a white robe sitting on the right side, and they were alarmed.

6 “Don’t be alarmed,” he said. “You are looking for Jesus the Nazarene, who was crucified. He has risen! He is not here. See the place where they laid him. 7 But go, tell his disciples and Peter, ‘He is going ahead of you into Galilee. There you will see him, just as he told you.’”

8 Trembling and bewildered, the women went out and fled from the tomb. They said nothing to anyone, because they were afraid.        (Mark’s account–verses 16:1-8)

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The Stone: a physical barrier to entrance, a spiritual barrier to faith.

                                                      Who will roll away the stone?

The women could not enter the tomb until the great stone was removed from the entrance. It was an impediment to their purpose, they couldn’t move it themselves, and it blocked their view to what lay on the other side. They were worried about something God had already removed for them. They just needed to “look up” to see that their path was open and clear. Still, the women did not recognize it was God who had rolled away this physical barrier which now allowed them entrance and opportunity to remove the spiritual barrier of their disbelief.

Upon entering the tomb, they saw a young man dressed in white “and they were alarmed.” The young man told them not to be alarmed, for he had good news to tell them: “He has risen!” This angel from God showed them proof that Jesus was not there: “See the place where they laid Him.” Their physical view was clear now, not blocked by the stone, and the women could not dispute what their eyes beheld. Jesus was not there. Only this young man was present, and he was telling them something that, though foretold, they had not quite believed as they had come to anoint the body of Jesus, the crucified Christ buried in the tomb, His final resting place. A stone still needed to be rolled away, a spiritual one.

The women were uncertain in their faith. There was still a barrier. The reaction to the young man’s announcement that Jesus had risen and was going ahead of them into Galilee where they would see Him again was shocking. The angel told them to go and tell the good news to the disciples and to Peter. The women left “trembling and bewildered” in flight from the tomb. And, being afraid, “they said nothing to anyone.” They were still uncertain and confused.  No one would believe this. Did they really believe it, even after seeing that Jesus wasn’t there with their own eyes?

Jesus later met Mary Magdalene, rolling away the stone of her questioning belief, and she left to tell the disciples–who did not believe her testimony. Jesus appeared to the eleven disciples and “upbraided them for their unbelief and hardness of heart, because they had not believed those who saw Him after He had risen” (Mark 16: 13).

Who will roll away our stone?  Our uncertainty, confusion, disbelief, “hardness of heart,” and fear can all be rolled away by faith in the Lord, who goes before us. “The LORD himself goes before you and will be with you; He will never leave you nor forsake you. Do not be afraid; do not be discouraged” (Deuteronomy 31:8). All impediments to faith are ones God can remove—if we just let Him. Though we have not seen with our own eyes, we can believe those whose testimonies of first-hand witness tell us

 The Good News: JESUS HAS RISEN!

(Sharon G. Tate blog 03/27/16) teacherforjesus.com Meditations on God’s Word

TeacherStudent

JESUS CHRIST: “I am the way, the truth, and the life.”

I-am-the-Way-

 Pilate said to Him, “What is truth?” (John 18:38)
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“TRUTH”–as defined by the dictionary, a book accepted by “most people.”
1)“Truth: a fact or principle that is thought to be true by most people.” (dictionarycambridge.org)
One must ask, “Who or what defines the ‘most people’ who think this is truth?”
2) “Truth: the real facts about a situation, event, or person.” (dictionarycambridge.org)
One must ask, “What is real? Is it only ‘real’ if ‘most people’ think so?”
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“TRUTH” –as defined by two writers not in the “most people” norm.
1) “Truth– is as old as God” –Emily Dickinson¹
One must ask, “How can we explain the meaning of ‘truth’ using today’s terms when its origin is from God who is not defined by age as we know it?”
2)“Truth is impossible to be soiled by any outward touch as the sunbeam” —John Milton ²
One must ask: “Does truth, then, reside within?”
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Pilate said to Him, “So you are a king?”
Jesus answered, “You say that I am a king. For this I was born, and for this I have come into the world, to bear witness to the truth. Everyone who is of the truth hears my voice.”
Pilate said to him, “What is truth?” (John 18:38)

Pilate did not recognize the embodiment of the Truth standing before him. He later washed his hands of Jesus and allowed the mob’s cries to “crucify him” happen. Pilate did not hear the voice of Jesus and did not accept the living Truth of Christ: “I am the way, the truth, and the life.” (John 14:6) Only Christ can define truth. Only Christ can be the truth we follow and believe. “Most people” cannot hear His voice as they are only hearing their own “truth” or one proclaimed by “most people.”

(24) So the Jews gathered round him and said to him, “How long will you keep us in suspense? If you are the Christ, tell us plainly.” (25) Jesus answered them, “I told you, and you do not believe. The works that I do in my Father’s name, they bear witness to me; (26) but you do not believe, because you do not belong to my sheep. (27) My sheep hear my voice, and I know them, and they follow me; (28) and I give them eternal life, and they shall never perish, and no one shall snatch them out of my hand. (29) My Father, who has given them to me, is greater than all, and no one is able to snatch them out of the Father’s hand. (30) I and the Father are one.” (John 22:24-30)

In a time when it is difficult to discern what is real, we need to look toward the hill and three crosses. We must focus our view toward the man in the center and not lose sight of the Truth, which He bore witness to and sacrificed His life for that we might live and be saved. This Truth must reside within each one of us if we hope to be with Christ eternally. His voice must be the One we hear within to guide us, advise us, direct us, shepherd us, and save us.

Truth—is as old as God—
His Twin identity
And will endure as long as He
A Co-Eternity— ¹

¹www.americanpoems.com/poets/emilydickinson
² www.bartleby.com

(Sharon G. Tate blog 03/20/16) teacherforjesus.com  Meditations on God’s Word

TeacherStudent

Jesus Wept

Jesus understands

 32) When Mary reached the place where Jesus was and saw him, she fell at his feet and said, “Lord, if you had been here, my brother would not have died.”
33) When Jesus saw her weeping, and the Jews who had come along with her also weeping, he was deeply moved in spirit and troubled.
34) “Where have you laid him?” he asked. “Come and see, Lord,” they replied.
35) Jesus wept. (John 11:32-35)

Jesus wept. Why? He could—and did—easily bring Lazarus back from the dead. He knew He could exchange their tears of sorrow for tears of joy. Jesus told the disciples, “All authority in heaven and on earth has been given to me.” (Matthew 28:18) There was no logical reason for Him to weep. Yet, He wept-with deep feeling.

He wept with empathy: “the feeling that you understand and share another person’s experiences and emotions: the ability to share someone else’s feelings.” ¹ Jesus witnessed the great sorrow of Mary and the Jews who were with her and was “deeply moved in spirit and troubled.” He understood what they were feeling and shared this grief and loss with them, even though He knew what they didn’t know or understand—that He could bring Lazarus back to them. Jesus was a brother in this moment, a man who shared the human sorrow of Mary and those Jews who came with her. Then, Jesus called Lazarus forth from the grave with the power given Him as Lord and Master.

Jesus was both man and God. Yet, He was not above meeting us at our human level. He came to this earth to become human.
(5) In your relationships with one another, have the same mindset as Christ Jesus: (6) Who, being in very nature God, did not consider equality with God something to be used to his own advantage; (7) rather, he made himself nothing by taking the very nature of a servant, being made in human likeness. (Philippians 2:5-7)
And we are called to become like Him in our relationships with each other, taking on the “nature of a servant,” not to be above others—but to meet them at their level with understanding and empathy.

Jesus goes with us through our sorrow, our pain, our loneliness, our desperation, our darkest hours-and weeps with us. He knows what we are experiencing and can empathize fully. The hope we have to overcome these times in our lives lies not in our tears- but in His. If Jesus did not understand us from the human level through His time here on this earth, He would not be as approachable and could not truly hear, see, sense, feel, and share in our daily struggles throughout this life. It is why we can go to Him in prayer with the confidence that He understands and cares.

Thank you, Lord Jesus, for “being made in human likeness” for us. Thank you, Jesus, for your tears.

¹ Empathy.http://www.merriam-webster.com/dictionary/empathy

(Sharon G. Tate blog 03/13/16) teacherforjesus.com Meditations on God’s Word

TeacherStudent

God’s Valentine to Faithful Christians

Love of God cross and tomb

V ictory through Jesus
A bsolution from our sins
L ove that never fails
E mpty tomb of Risen hope
N ew body incorruptible
T omorrow-eternal promised
I nheritance of adoption
N ever-ending Light
E ternity with God our Father

1 John 3:1 – See what great love the Father has lavished on us, that we should be called children of God! And that is what we are! The reason the world does not know us is that it did not know Him.

Romans 5:8 – But God demonstrates His own love for us in this: While we were still sinners, Christ died for us.

1 John 4:10 – This is love: not that we loved God, but that He loved us and sent His Son as an atoning sacrifice for our sins.

John 3:16 – For God so loved the world that He gave His one and only Son, that whoever believes in Him shall not perish but have eternal life.

1 John 4:9 – This is how God showed His love among us: He sent his one and only Son into the world that we might live through Him.

1 John 4:8 – Whoever does not love does not know God, because God is love.

And now these three remain: faith, hope and love. But the greatest of these is LOVE.
(1 Corinthians 13:13)

(Sharon G. Tate blog 02/14/16) teacherforjesus.com  Meditations on God’s Word

TeacherStudent

GOD IS the Source of All Wisdom

Wisdom depths of God

“The doorstep to the temple of wisdom is a knowledge of our own ignorance.” ¹

Twitter, Facebook, and other social media or “news” sites offer those with access a platform to express personal “knowledge” and share or declare personal “wisdom” on many subjects and issues. Sometimes, however, these public sites become a stage for expounding untruths that reflect human pride—and human ignorance–not wisdom. As we approach “the doorstep to the temple of wisdom,” we need to fall prostrate before the One waiting at the door, Who holds the only key to enter. We cannot approach Him with our own agendas, opinions, and limited knowledge with the objective to instruct our Lord on what is wise, for He will ask us: (4) “Where were you when I laid the earth’s foundation? Tell me, if you understand. (5) Who marked off its dimensions? Surely you know! Who stretched a measuring line across it? (Job 38:4-5)

What our society desperately needs today is wisdom, which can only come from the ONE true source: GOD. When we seek His wisdom, we will have the knowledge we need to overcome the struggles, fears, and temptations of this world. We will have the Truth to guide us on the right path.

If any of you lacks wisdom, you should ask God, who gives generously to all
without finding fault, and it will be given to you. (James 1:5)
For the foolishness of God is wiser than human wisdom, and the weakness
of God is stronger than human strength. (1 Corinthians 1:25)

When we ask God for wisdom, we will have His support to make the right choices and decisions that honor Him. He, in turn, will bless us: “ To the person who pleases him, God gives wisdom, knowledge and happiness, but to the sinner he gives the task of gathering and storing up wealth to hand it over to the one who pleases God. This too is meaningless, a chasing after the wind. “(Ecclesiastes 2:26)

Paul tells us, through the Corinthian letter, that Christ is the way to find the treasures of wisdom and knowledge:
(2) My goal is that they may be encouraged in heart and united in love, so that they may have the full riches of complete understanding, in order that they may know the mystery of God, namely, Christ, (3) in whom are hidden all the treasures of wisdom and knowledge. (Colossians 2:2-3)

As Christ is without sin, the wisdom from God is 100% pure and true, freeing us from greed, covetousness, power-driven desires, arrogance, pride, and self. How different the world would be if we all sought the wisdom of God and practiced what we learned from the Master Teacher: “But the wisdom that comes from heaven is first of all pure; then peace-loving, considerate, submissive, full of mercy and good fruit, impartial and sincere.”  (James 3:17)

Oh, the riches we gain from the asking, the receiving, and the gifting of wisdom from God:

(13) Blessed are those who find wisdom,
those who gain understanding,
(14) for she is more profitable than silver
and yields better returns than gold.
(15) She is more precious than rubies;
nothing you desire can compare with her.
(Proverbs 3:13-15)

In a world of folly and foolishness, greed and avarice, pride and selfishness, let us remember our Father, who will bequeath His legacy of a pure, true wisdom to us, His children, when we seek Him and call upon Him to help us through this life in order that we may enter His holy temple.

¹ Benjamin Franklin. brainyquote.com

(Sharon G. Tate blog 02/07/16) teacherforjesus.com Meditations on God’s Word

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Placing our Trust in the Lord

trust God with all your heart

 (5) Trust in the LORD with all your heart and lean not on your own understanding;
(6) in all your ways submit to Him and He will make your paths straight. 

(Proverbs 3:5-6)

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The Trust Test: You must fall straight backward, trusting that the person behind you will have your back, catch you, and not let you fall. Will you take the test?
In Tuesdays with Morrie by Mitch Albom, the teacher Morrie Schwartz asks his students to do this exercise. No one volunteers until one girl steps forward and takes the test, falling backward with her eyes fully closed. Others who have witnessed this trusting action then follow her example and pass the test.

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Blind trust is a difficult kind of faith to have in our society today. Is the image we see real or virtual? Is the picture a photo shop rendition or real? Is the politician truthful when he/she states a position or is it one that transitions with the majority’s beliefs at the time?

Trust, however, is a crucial element in any relationship. Without it, there can be feelings of uncertainty, fear, tension, stress, hurt, anger—and a broken relationship that falls to pieces when the person you place trust in does not have your back. The Word teaches us to only completely trust in God with an unwavering faith:
(Isaiah 41:10) “So do not fear, for I am with you; do not be dismayed, for I am your God. I will strengthen you and help you; I will uphold you with my righteous right hand.”
(Psalm 28:7) “The LORD is my strength and my shield; my heart trusts in Him, and He helps me. My heart leaps for joy, and with my song I praise Him.”

God is the only One who will never let us down. He will be there to catch us when we place our trust fully in Him. In fact, He will not only hold us up and not let us fall, but He will give us the ability to soar:

(28 )Do you not know?
Have you not heard?
The LORD is the everlasting God,
the Creator of the ends of the earth.
He will not grow tired or weary,
and his understanding no one can fathom.
(29) He gives strength to the weary
and increases the power of the weak.
(30) Even youths grow tired and weary,
and young men stumble and fall;
(31) but those who hope in the LORD
will renew their strength.
They will soar on wings like eagles;
they will run and not grow weary,
they will walk and not be faint. (Isaiah 40: 28-31)

Let us trust completely in our God, fall back on His promises to sustain us, and know with complete faith that He will never leave us. Blind trust in God, the One Who gives us His Light to direct our paths, is the faith we must have on our journey through this life in order to reach our true home with Him. Through this blind trust, we can block out the other diversions, distractions, and temptations in life to focus completely on God, the One Who will support us through every trial, every heartache, every loss, every fear, and every step.

(Sharon G. Tate blog 01/31/16) teacherforjesus.com Meditations on God’s Word

TeacherStudent

BEING PRESENT WITH GOD—IN GOD’S PRESENCE

Presence of God

You make known to me the path of life; you will fill me with joy in your presence,
with eternal pleasures at your right hand. (Psalm 16:11)
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As I look out across the room when the bell rings, I see 25 students in their seats. Yes, they are “present” on the attendance list, but are they going to be “present with me” in the lesson and discussion? Some gaze out the window in a blank stare; others look down at their phones; a couple pretend to look at me, and even smile, while texting in their pockets; a group of four continues to talk; several try to hurriedly complete homework; some are quite animated from a caffeine-fix lunch; one runs in as the bell sounds with a grand entrance; and a few are focused, waiting for the class to begin.
“ARE YOU WITH ME TODAY, CLASS?” A few heads turn. . .

Presence with focus is a very difficult combination to achieve in this age of multi-tasking and multi-sensory overload. We are constantly distracted by messages, notification beeps, keeping up with the recent Facebook posts, and the busyness of the day—yesterday, today, and tomorrow. Yet, relationships rarely progress to a deeper level when “presence with focus” is missing.

God gives the gift of His full presence, focusing on each one of us individually. David, the Psalmist, reveals this personal relationship:
1) You have searched me, LORD, and you know me.
2) You know when I sit and when I rise; you perceive my thoughts from afar.
3) You discern my going out and my lying down; you are familiar with all my ways.
4) Before a word is on my tongue you, LORD, know it completely.
5) You hem me in behind and before, and you lay your hand upon me.
6) Such knowledge is too wonderful for me, too lofty for me to attain. (Psalm 139:1-6)

We cannot fully comprehend the meaning of God-Presence, but we do know that He expects—and we should give– our full presence as we enter this relationship with Him in prayer, in communication, in devotion, and in living before Him.
“The most common Hebrew term for ‘presence’ is panim , which is also translated ‘face, ‘implying a close and personal encounter with the Lord.” ¹
(7)“Hear my voice when I call, LORD; be merciful to me and answer me. (8) My heart says of you, ‘Seek his face!’ Your face, LORD, I will seek.” (Psalm 27:7-8)

A face-to-face encounter in a relationship is one in which emotions are not easily hidden. It is when we are more vulnerable and open, when we cannot normally delay a response, like in an email, text or message. We recognize each other’s face, and we know each other’s name. Although knowing one’s face and name can merely involve a show of recognition in an infrequent acquaintance—knowing the person’s face and name in a meaningful relationship means an awareness of his or her presence on a deeper, more personal level.

The Lord knows all our names in a very personal way:
(12) Moses said to the LORD, “You have been telling me, ‘Lead these people,’ but you have not let me know whom you will send with me. You have said, ‘I know you by name and you have found favor with me.’ (13) If you are pleased with me, teach me your ways so I may know you and continue to find favor with you. Remember that this nation is your people.” (14) The LORD replied, “My Presence will go with you, and I will give you rest.” (Exodus 33:12-14)

God’s presence is always with us:
God has said, “Never will I leave you; never will I forsake you.” (Hebrews 13:5)

The important questions we have to answer:
Are we always present with Him?
Will we never leave Him , nor forsake Him?

¹ “Presence of God” http://www.biblestudytools.com

(Sharon G. Tate blog 01/17/16) teacherforjesus.com Meditations on God’s Word