Russell Joyce
Russell Joyce

Jesus is the tangible presence of God. And to be in His presence is to be restored to our true nature—people of rest.

Richard Rohr wrote, “We cannot attain the presence of God because we’re already in the presence of God. What’s absent is awareness.”

I often find I am not at rest. I am anxious and weary. When I press into why this is, I discover a troubling theme: I am not coming to Jesus (Matt. 11:28-30). I am not taking upon myself His way of life. I’m simply reciting a story of God’s love for the world, but my own life is devoid of any sign of me actually coming into His presence—no solitude, prayer, worship or fasting.

If I am not experiencing the rest Jesus promised, it is not because He is no longer present, but because I am no longer coming to receive it.

And when I begin, again, to take His way of life upon me, it’s amazing how fast He becomes my heart’s tangible delight once more.

Reflect + Pray

1. Examine all the tasks and responsibilities in your day. Commit to learning from Jesus again, to incorporating the practices of a healthy relationship as a way of becoming aware of His presence again.

2. Pray for a renewed focus in all Foursquare churches on who God is and what it truly means to be in His presence.

3. As we prepare to celebrate Valentine’s Day, pray for God to reveal His perfect love in the lives of congregants, and pray for those experiencing loneliness or heartbreak.

4. Pray for Foursquare chaplains serving around the country, and download the monthly prayer guide here.

Share your thoughts. See comments below, and add your own.

is the senior pastor of Hope Brooklyn (Brooklyn 2 NY Foursquare Church) in Brooklyn, N.Y.
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