Parenting - Seeking God's Presence: It's a Process - Part II

I am a firm believer in the adage that a person can never get something for nothing! Anything worth having is going to cost. An investment has to be made. The same is true if we genuinely seek to know God's presence and his blessing in our lives. We have to be willing to make the investment, to do what God requires.

When David sought to return the ark of God to the nation of Israel, he tried to do so without the proper preparation; the result was one man dead and David leaving the ark behind. The ark remained with Obed-edom for three months, and while it was there, the family knew God's blessings (I Chronicles 13:9-14). David returned to Jerusalem to make proper preparations to bring it "home."

As David prepared the people for the return of the ark, the priests sanctified themselves (I Chronicles 15:12). They brought together the skilled musicians and singers to lead worship for the procession bringing the ark back to Jerusalem (I Chronicles 15:16, 25-28). It was a joyful, loud, exuberant procession of praise and worship. David made sacrificial offerings and blessed the people in the name of the Lord (I Chronicles 16:1-3). Then the priests, before the ark, recalled God's greatness and gave thanks and praise to him in a Psalm of Thanksgiving (I Chronicles 16:4-36). 

The ark represents God's holiness, and he expected his people to approach it with "clean hands," and while we no longer practice the rituals of the Law, God does expect us to come before him with a pure heart (Psalm 24:3-5), with reverence, and with praise and thanksgiving for who he is. Just as David and the children of Israel went through cleansing and preparation to enter God's presence, so must we. 

If we want to know God's presence in our lives, we must first repent of our sins and know salvation (John 3:16; Romans 3:23). Like David, we must remember we serve a holy God and must come before him clean if we expect to know his presence and his blessings. James 4:8 admonishes us to draw close to God because that's when he comes close to us. James tells us to cleanse our hands and purify our hearts. Psalm 50:23 proclaims, "Whoever offers praise glorifies Me; and to him who orders his conduct aright I will show the salvation of God.” Peter tells us that we are a chosen generation, a royal priesthood, a holy nation and that we are called to praise him who has called us out of darkness (I Peter 2:9). We are told throughout the Bible to enter into his presence with praise and thanksgiving, calling into remembrance the greatness of God (Psalms 100:4; Psalm 63; Psalm 89:1; Psalm 92:1; Ephesians 5:18b-21). 

If we truly do want to know God's presence and blessings in our lives, we will make the investment. We will "get clean," and we will enter into his presence with the sacrifice of praise and thanksgiving for who he is and all he has done. Then, we will know how truly awesome our God is!

Who shall ascend into the hill of the LORD? or who shall stand in his holy place?

 He that hath clean hands, and a pure heart; who hath not lifted up his soul unto vanity, nor sworn deceitfully.

He shall receive the blessing from the LORD, and righteousness from the God of his salvation. (Psalm 24:3-5)

Heavenly Father, you are worthy of all praise and worship. You are awesome. Lord, we crave your presence. Send your Holy Spirit to show us those places in our lives that need "cleaning up" and to bring to our remembrance your greatness. Help us to have a spirit of praise and adoration for who you are and to give you the worship you so deserve. In your name we pray, Amen.