Practicing the Presence of God

THIS WEEK’S BOLD STEP DEVOTION

“Then I heard the voice of the Lord saying, “Whom shall I send? And who will go for us?” And I said, “Here am I. Send me!”
(Isaiah 6:8)

As a 16-year-old washing dishes in France, I had a transformative experience that shaped my walk with the Lord. It was during those humble moments of serving in obscurity that I came across a book that would change my life forever: Practicing the Presence of God by Brother Lawrence.

In the simplicity of his daily tasks, Brother Lawrence, learned the beautiful truth that the presence of God is not confined to a church building, or to moments of formal prayer. God's presence is with us in every moment of life—in the washing of dishes, in the mundane, in the quiet, and in the loud. Wherever we are, He is there.

God's presence has a way of penetrating our hearts in a profound way. When we encounter the holy, living God, He begins a work in us. His presence confronts us, not to shame us, but to make us more like Him. It drives us to a place of humility, surrender, and holiness. We are awakened to the areas in our lives where we need to surrender, confess, and get things right with God. It’s through this process of purification that we develop a heart to be used by God.

King Uzziah, a man who encountered the presence of God in a unique and profound way, sought after Him with great humility. But over time, Uzziah’s pride began to take root. He grew self-reliant, forgetting the One who had made his reign successful in the first place. God wasn’t a consuming fire to him anymore but a tool he could use to advance his own kingdom.

This is why it's so crucial to maintain a humble heart before God. As we encounter His presence, we are reminded that we are nothing without Him, that all our accomplishments are by His grace. When we begin to take God for granted, we shrink our view of Him, and we risk the same downfall Uzziah faced. The more we encounter the true, living God, the more we should be driven to humility, reverence, and a deeper longing to be used for His glory alone.

May God’s presence awaken a fresh humility and reverence in us, so that we can reflect His holiness in all we do.

Listen to the sermon: In His Presence

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Ministry Update from Mark

As we enter Holy Week and approach Good Friday, I find myself reflecting on how dark and heavy that day truly is. Yet, we call it Good Friday. Why? Because, amidst the profound darkness of a painful crucifixion and the intense suffering of God incarnate, lies the one and only path to redemption. That fateful Friday was essential to make way for Resurrection Sunday. Our sorrow is intertwined with the hopeful joy of an empty tomb on Good Friday!