Psalm 16
8 I have set the LORD continually before me;
Because He is at my right hand, I will not be shaken.
9 Therefore my heart is glad and my glory rejoices;
My flesh also will dwell securely.
10 For You will not abandon my soul to Sheol;
Nor will You allow Your Holy One to undergo decay.
11 You will make known to me the path of life;
In Your presence is fullness of joy;
In Your right hand there are pleasures forever.
There are those times when the presence of God is so heart consuming, and sense overwhelming, that He is the most dominant conscious reality in our lives. Having a Holy rhythm is an important part of that. There are other times when our rhythm is so obliterated for a short season, by no fault of our own, that His presence doesn’t seem so bright and real. How do we survive those times? The reality is, unless there is some known, unrepentant sin in our lives, His presence is just as real whether we feel it or not. Something that can help though in those dimmed days: When you find yourself in those moments where your conscious intimacy with Jesus seems a little flat-lined, stop for a second and remember that you are in Christ. You can’t get any closer than that.
Again, remember that you are in Christ and thank Him for His unchanging presence. What you will find is that after this little expression of practicing His Presence, and as you move forward doing life as it is being thrown at you, His presence will rise up in your conscious experience, restoring the melody of Union in your heart, that makes life in this fallen world such a joy.
Have a great day being In Christ.
In the secret of His presence how my soul delights to hide!
Oh, how precious are the lessons which I learn at Jesus’ side!
Earthly cares can never vex me, neither trials lay me low;
For when Satan comes to tempt me, to the secret place I go,
To the secret place I go.
When my soul is faint and thirsty, ’neath the shadow of His wing
There is cool and pleasant shelter, and a fresh and crystal spring;
And my Savior rests beside me, as we hold communion sweet:
If I tried, I could not utter what He says when thus we meet,
What He says when thus we meet.
Only this I know: I tell Him all my doubts, my griefs and fears;
Oh, how patiently He listens! and my drooping soul He cheers:
Do you think He ne’er reproves me? What a false Friend He would be,
If He never, never told me of the sins which He must see,
Of the sins which He must see.
Would you like to know the sweetness of the secret of the Lord?
Go and hide beneath His shadow: this shall then be your reward;
And whene’er you leave the silence of that happy meeting place,
You must mind and bear the image of the Master in your face,
Of the Master in your face.