Finding God's PresenceSýnishorn

Present Among His People

Remember earlier this week when I mentioned how some people ditch church to head for the mountains?

Those people genuinely encounter God in the mountains or malls, but here’s why they shouldn’t skip church to do it.

Church is where pastors speak so long that people fall asleep, and also where something so important is happening that people will occasionally stay up all night to hear about it (Acts 20:7-12).

Church is the community where extravagant generosity and sexual immorality sometimes both occur together (2 Corinthians 8:1-9:15; 1 Corinthians 5:1-13).

Churches can be multi-ethnic at their best (Colossians 3:11) and racist at their worst (Acts 6:1-6).

Church is where you’ll meet people with personalities and habits that will grate on you. In your relationship with them, you’ll discover the forest in your own eye (Matthew 7:1-5), the gifting and calling of God in their lives (1 Corinthians 12:1-31), and the grace of God that teaches you to truly love those you may not like (Titus 2:11-12).

God’s plan for His people is compelling, and His realism about our failures and the difficulty of church life is staggering.

The Bible doesn’t sell some unrealistic or consumeristic ideal of the Church. Neither will I.

The Bible does say that Christ is present in and amongst His people (1 Corinthians 6:19). We are His Body. His Spirit literally indwells us as a community.

If you want to experience the presence of God, be a man who takes his place in His Church.

Some of you have been burned by church, and probably done some burning, too. Some have seen too many church battles and not enough Pentecost moments.

Regardless, if you want to experience God and engage His presence, take your place among His people. Use your gifts and resources to bless others. Lead them in repentance and model a life of obedience. Forgive, serve, encourage, and pray for them. Let them do the same for you.

Pray for more Pentecost and less sin. Pray that your church and the Church will let in the One who stands at the door and knocks (Revelation 3:20). Pray for revival in your midst.

When we finally experience God in eternity, we’ll be doing it together. If we want to experience Him before then, we will find Him with His Church.

Prayer: Lord, I often devalue Your people. Come into our midst and work in power. Help us be people who forgive, love, serve, give, and walk closely with You. Revive us! Send Your Spirit to empower us anew. Let us become the people who declare Your praises and amongst whom Your presence and power are so tangible that we don’t watch our clocks and long for the end of service. Let Your Kingdom come. Amen.

Reflection: Does your life and faith reflect that God is powerfully present amongst His people? Have you taken your place in His Body, in a local church, and as part of His global Church? Why or why not? What is a step you can take to connect with His Church today?

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