Presence!

April 11, 2024

Presence!

It was breakfast on the beach!  It was a sunrise gathering of friends around a campfire.  It was broiled fish and bread well prepared.  It was a beautiful place, a fresh start to a new day, and a cherished and celebrated time.

No one asked if the Son of God was there with them.  They all knew the Savior was the host there!  They possessed the assurance the power and presence, the love and mercy, and the grace and joy of the Lord was with them during breakfast on the beach.

There have been many times when I possessed that same assurance the Risen Savior was with me.  Although it has not always been rational or logical, the presence of Jesus in my life has often been undeniable.

At the same time, there have been moments and sometimes seasons in my life when I lacked the assurance and the confidence that Jesus was with me.  In a similar way, there are plenty of examples in the Bible of people who lost the assurance that the Lord God was present with them.

In Psalm 22:1-2 King David writes; “My God, my God, why have you forsaken me?  Why are you so far from helping me, from the words of my groaning?  O my God, I cry by day, but you do not answer; and by night but find no rest.”

The experience of feeling separated from God or distant from God or forgotten by God leads to an unsettledness that radiates to the depth of our soul.

+The lack of assurance that the presence of the Risen Savior is with me can disturb and disrupt my relationships with family, the quality of my work, and even my performance on the athletic field.

+The lack of assurance that the presence of the Risen Savior is with me can steal away the very peace and joy and love that are gifts of the Holy Spirit in those who believe in Jesus.

+The lack of assurance that the presence of the Risen Savior is with me can cause me to hesitate when Jesus calls me to follow, to vacillate when Jesus asks me to stand strong, and to retreat when Jesus invites me to go forwards.

So the account of the Risen Savior sharing breakfast in the early morning with some of the Apostles on the beach reflects the deep desire of my soul to be close to the Savior and to possess the assurance of the Savior’s love for me.

In John 21:12 we hear the assurance of the disciples; “Now none of the disciples dared to ask him (Jesus), ‘Who are you?’ because they knew it was the Lord.”  The disciples “knew” the Risen Jesus was with them during a sunrise breakfast on the beach.  There was no question, no doubt, no uncertainty.

Unlike the Apostles on the beach in the first century, we may not be able to see the Risen Savior physically standing near us.  Our faith is more of a conviction or confidence that although we cannot see the Risen Savior, He is still with us. 

In Hebrews 11:1 we hear; “Now faith is the assurance of things hoped for, the conviction of things not seen.”  Faith is what brings the assurance or conviction or confidence that the living Jesus is with me and in me and working through me…even when I have no physical evidence to warrant my conviction.

Faith is our response to the seasons when our assurance is running low.  Faith is a fresh drawing close to Jesus even when we are not convinced Jesus is close to us.  In Hebrews 10:22 we hear; “…let us draw near to God with a sincere heart and with the full assurance that faith brings…”

Drawing near to God is an expression of a faith that seeks assurance we are in a healthy and holy relationship with Jesus our Savior.  Faith is the act of taking the next step closer to Jesus when we are not quite sure Jesus is near.

In Psalm 63:1 King David reminds us that at a deeper level than we even recognize we long for more of God in our life.  David writes; “O God, you are my God; I seek you; my soul thirsts for you; my flesh faints for you, as in a dry and weary land where there is no water.”

When the conviction of faith, the confidence of faith, or the assurance of faith are dwindling or even totally gone, our soul is like a dry and weary land where there is no water.  Another translation says our soul is so dry it is like a scorching desert.

In response, my heart and my soul thirst for more of Jesus.  Even when I have little or no assurance that faith even makes a difference, my heart and soul are still desiring, longing, and thirsting for more of the Lord.

During breakfast on the beach, the disciples “knew” they were sharing a meal with the Risen Savior.  They were confident of that good news, they were convinced of that reality, they had assurance it was the living Lord.  Their ears did not need to hear the words because their faith told their heart and soul it was Jesus.

Whether you are in a season in which conviction and confidence and assurance are running deep or you are in a season in which you have more questions and concerns about spiritual matters, please know Jesus is with you just as much as Jesus was with the disciples that morning on the beach.  Take a step of faith and trust Jesus loves you and is with you.

Here are three next steps from Psalm 63 for those seeking more assurance of their faith in Jesus.

+Offer words of praise (get very specific!) every day for God’s help and God’s blessings.

+Pray every night with the purpose of seeking to know the love and presence of the living God.

+Worship every week with the desire to know God’s power and glory.

When assurance is deep or when assurance is just returning, our hearts will again take delight in the Lord!

Take Delight In The Lord!

Doug