Experiencing God's Presence #335

The word of God is alive and powerful. It is sharper than the sharpest two-edged sword, cutting between soul and spirit, between joint and marrow. It exposes our innermost thoughts and desires.

Hebrews 4:12

I woke up in one of those dreadful moods, already prejudiced against the day ahead. I spoke to the Lord about it—asked Him to jump-start my spirit and help my attitude shift. Nothing. I still felt like the day was out to get me.

Sometime later, I decided to pull out some index cards with Scripture verses on them, words that God had used to speak encouragement to me at critical moments in various situations. I read through each one, remembering the power I felt when they impacted me at those moments. Little by little, my attitude shifted. The day wasn’t out to get me; I was sent into the day by a powerful God who had already ordained my steps. Whatever happened on this day, I would overcome.

The Spirit of God is always with us and in us, but sometimes we can sense His practical Presence only in the Word He inspired. God is present when we read His Word and affirm its truth, when we let the living power of the Word sink into us and shape us. It’s entirely possible to read and study the Bible without experiencing this living power—plenty of Pharisees, philosophers, and skeptics have done so throughout history, and so have we at times. But when the Word lands in the fertile ground of faith in our hearts, things change. God goes to work. He inhabits the words He has spoken, and they take on a vitality that transforms.

If you’re in need of God’s Presence, you can always find it one way or another in His revelation. Don’t just read His words; let them speak. Let them change your day—and your life.

Lord, I need to experience the living power of Your Word. Whenever I thirst for You, lead me to the verses that reveal Your voice for that moment. Use them to shape me from within.

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