Never the Same

“The church is famishing for want of His presence.”
—A. W. Tozer, The Pursuit of God, 36

Throughout the book quoted above, Tozer argues that the church—Christians at large—does not seem particularly interested in God. We do not care deeply enough about being with Him, knowing Him, or following Him. We are content with salvation while having little desire for a relationship with the One who saves us.

What would our lives look like if we regularly encountered the presence of God?

For Abraham, it meant trusting for twenty-five years in a promise that seemed impossible.

For Moses, it meant that his face shone so brightly it had to be covered because, after being with God, he was changed.

For David, it meant praising God while enemies sought to kill him at every turn.

For Hosea, it meant redeeming his unfaithful wife because he understood something of God’s great love.

For the disciples, it meant leaving everything they had and everyone they knew to follow this new rabbi. Furthermore, following Jesus cost many of them their lives, yet they believed He was worth it.

When we encounter Jesus, we are never the same.

When we come to realize that God is all-knowing, always present, all-powerful, and always loving, it changes us. Furthermore, we have access to this God whenever and wherever we are.

Hebrews 4:16 states:

Let us then with confidence draw near to the throne of grace, that we may receive mercy and find grace to help in time of need.

At the death of Jesus, the literal curtain separating the Holy Place from the Holy of Holies was torn in two. The barrier that symbolized restricted access to the presence of God was torn apart. This was not simply a sewing problem in Jerusalem; it was a declaration that, through Jesus, people can now draw near to God.

We no longer need a human priest to enter God’s presence on our behalf, for Christ Jesus has become our eternal mediator.

Not only did God come to us through Jesus, but God also dwells within believers through the Holy Spirit.

What would your life look like if you regularly lived in the presence of God?

“Lord, how excellent are thy ways, and how devious and dark are the ways of man. Show us how to die to our selfish desires, that we may rise again to newness of life. Rend the veil of our self-life from the top down as thou didst rend the veil of the temple. We would draw near in full assurance of faith. We would dwell with thee in daily experience here on this earth, so that we may be accustomed to the glory when we enter thy heaven to dwell with thee there. In Jesus’ name, Amen.”