Prioritizing God’s Presence (Daily Encouragement)
“One thing have I asked of the LORD, that I will seek after: that I may dwell in the house of the LORD all the days of my life, to gaze upon the beauty of the LORD and to inquire in his temple.” -Psalm 27:4
I often come back to Psalm 27:4 where David – who had EVERYTHING (he was king after all) – says the ONE thing he seeks is the presence of God. He asks the LORD for ONE thing, to seek after ONE thing: to dwell in the house of the LORD all of his days; to gaze upon the beauty of the LORD; to inquire and learn from the LORD. In short, to experience the presence of God.
Two things are needed for this that we see in Psalm 27 and 132: First, a heart/desire for the presence of God. Second, making experiencing God’s presence a PRIORITY. We prioritize what we desire most.
Josh Moody shared the story of complaining to a friend about not having any time. His friend responded, “You have all the time there is.” Moody said, he was right: it is a question of how you use your time and for what. We all have time, what we see from David, and all the Scriptures, is it is wise to prioritize the presence of God with our time.
This happens through reading his word, prayer, being with His people, following God’s Spirit in you, worshipping on Sunday, contemplation, Sabbath, pathways that help you experience God, etc. Ultimately we experience the presence of God through His Son Jesus Christ.
“This week, you will probably use a planner, your phone, a kitchen calendar, or the back of an envelope to plan some part of your day or to jot down a “to do” list. Will you, in planning your week, prioritize God in your life?” (Rhett Dodson)