He Is Present

11 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

We are often guilty of marketing Jesus unfairly. In our culture of incessant advertising, we can unknowingly try to “sell” people on Jesus using rewards and benefits in doing so. Seasoned followers can see past this. Remembering times faith came at a cost – times it seemed when following Jesus took more than it gave. Times of deep soul battles and doubts are called to mind. The truth of the Gospel states that following Jesus will ruin you.

And this is exactly what we need.

Truly we get one benefit from a life lived with Jesus – His presence. The spirit of life is found in His company. There is an unspoken connection to all things through His hand. We get into trouble when we fail to draw deeply from His being and instead settle for trivial and passing matters like wealth and success. We were undoubtedly meant for more than the rat race we find around us. His calming presence is to guide and comfort our weary heartbeat.

Can we see Him? Do we find Him in the simplest of matters?

The toddler’s cackle?

The looming red light?

The dark brewed mystery in our coffee?

The almond milk that dances throughout our tea?

He is found throughout it. The creator and the created, all whisper of an already present character. His identity is a living display of grace breathing just below the surface of the artificial. He is breathing through the trees and pulsating through the network of traffic. In nervous laughter and heartless debate. In the loving glances and lingering sighs.

Today, look for Him. Find His existence in the boring. In the trivial. In the mundane. He is here. He is present. He is.