Being found in Gods presence by Basson Nel
Everyone of us wants to live a life of impact, and wants to know that we are living a life of purpose, having value and adding value.
Nobody merely wants to exist, nor do we simply want to be support actors of no significance in someone else’s play.
We want to plough ourselves into that which goes beyond our time and space, that which will last for all eternity.
I like this quote from the movie “The Gladiator”: “What we do in life; echoes into eternity!”
*The truth is however, that it is only what flows out of life in the presence of the Spirit of God, that will last and will therefore echo into eternity.
Paul writes this to the church in Corinth: “By the grace God has given me, I laid a foundation as an expert builder, and someone else is building on it. But each one should be careful how he builds. For no one can lay any foundation other than the one already laid, which is Jesus Christ. If any man builds on this foundation using gold, silver, costly stones, wood, hay or straw, his work will be shown for what it is, because the Day will bring it to light. It will be revealed with fire, and the fire will test the quality of each man’s work. If what he has built survives, he will receive his reward.” (1 Cor.3:10-14)
The question is so often asked: “How do I know what I am called to?”
The answer is found in God – in the presence of God.
If we want to know what the purpose of an object is, then we find it not in the creation, but in the inventor/designer.
Likewise, we find our purpose, our calling in the presence of our Creator.
Being found in the presence of God, is the first step to finding and fulfilling our call, in order to live a significant life; for in Him, we find identity and purpose!
But there is much more in the presence of God than finding our calling!
Many wonderful things have happened to people, who have stumbled into the presence of Jesus over the ages:
1) On one occasion a lady was going to draw water at a well, while contemplating how she was going to make her latest relationship work.
They were not married yet, as she had a number of unsuccessful marriages behind her, and wasn’t too sure about this relationship either.
And as it was a new day and a new year, she was preparing a list of resolutions, of ways to do things differently, better – hopefully.
Suddenly, however, she bumped into Jesus at the well – He asked her for a drink of water.
We find this story in John chapter 4.
Before she knew it, she was telling everyone in her village of this incredible meeting she had with Jesus – “Could He be the Messiah?”
Before long, the entire village came out to meet Jesus; and that day they found salvation in Him, saying:
“We no longer believe just because of what you said; now we have heard for ourselves, and we know that this man really is the Saviour of the world.” (Jn.4:42)
In the presence of Jesus there is incredible transforming power – the one moment an unsaved adulterer, the next an evangelist who leads her village to the presence of Christ and to salvation!
2) For the less than honest tax collector from Jericho, there was an equally interesting meeting with Jesus:
It would have been business as usual that day in Jericho, but then Jesus came by on His way to Jerusalem.
Suddenly a rather large group of people were crowding around Jesus, much to our short tax collector’s irritation.
He was a rich man and held an important position in the city, a man of influence – not the type that normally had to push through a crowd to get somewhere.
But on that day nobody seemed to show him much respect or fear, or paid any attention to him what-so-ever, as he tried to push his way through, to get a glimpse of Jesus.
Eventually he had to run ahead of the crowds and even had to climb up a tree to see Jesus – and then Jesus saw Him!
“Zacchaeus, come down immediately. I must stay at your house today”, Jesus said to him, in Lk.19:5.
Then we read that Zacchaeus not only welcomed Jesus as his guest, but came to an immediate understanding of his own sinfulness and repented: “Look, Lord! Here and now I give half of my possessions to the poor, and if I have cheated anybody out of anything, I will pay back four times the amount.” (Lk.19:8)
When we come into the presence of Jesus, our sinful hearts is shown up by His holiness.
Repentance and restitution of wrongs flowed out of this meeting with Jesus.
There is a change in us when we come into the presence of Jesus.
A change that brings us to our knees in repentance before God, but also has to bring restitution to those whom we have wronged.
I cannot repent before the Lord for the way in which I have treated my wife, but not apologise to her, and change my behaviour towards her!
I cannot repent of a dishonest business deal, but keep the extra profit.
I cannot repent of adultery, but keep on living together.
Repentance does not make excuses for my sinfulness, it deals with it!
Repentance is a positive thing – it is the hammer that smashes the wall of sin which separates me from God!
3) When we come into the presence of Jesus, our reality is often checked:
Luke tells the story of a rich young ruler that came to Jesus to ask what, if anything, might be lacking in his life to inherit eternal life.
Unfortunately he did not realize that God looks at the heart.
He seemed to have everything going for him: he was wealthy, he was in a position of power and authority, he was a religious man – obeying the law, but he was not ready for what he found when he came into the presence of Jesus.
Jesus saw his heart.
Jesus saw the object of his greatest affection and of his true delight; and it was money – money and what money could buy.
This was the reality of this young man’s desire – he desired to know how he could have eternal life, without the cost.
“How can I add the Kingdom of heaven to my life without it costing me anything, without having to make any adjustments, without changing the object of my delight and affection?”
“How can I add this last little aspect to my already perfect existence?”
This was his true question, and the answer saddened him, for Jesus saw his heart and revealed it to the young man himself:
“You still lack one thing. Sell everything you have and give to the poor, and you will have treasure in heaven. Then come, follow me.” (Lk.18:22)
He found reality and truth in the presence of Jesus, but it wasn’t what he was looking for, and he went away disappointed.
4) She first noticed him, near the city gate, on the day her family moved to Jerusalem. In fact, he came over and spoke to her, while her father was meeting with the elders at the Fountain Gate.
She was overwhelmed by so many things that morning, leaning against the rough stones in the wall as she peered into the vast city – she had never seen so many people, or heard so much noise…then she felt a hand on her shoulder; it was him!
She dropped her eyes to the ground and shyly answered his questions about where they were from, about her father, her family and about her age.
He seemed friendly and as he turned away, he smiled and pressed a coin into her hand.
Oh, Jerusalem, Jerusalem, is this what the city is like? Filled with people and sounds and spices – so much life everywhere!
She had almost forgotten all about the friendly and generous man she had met that day; until she saw him in the market weeks later – his laughter could be heard from a distance as he threw a young boy up in the air and caught him again in his outstretched arms!
She smiled and stared at him for a moment, but as she turned away, his eyes caught hers and putting the boy down, he rushed over to her.
He remembered!
He spoke gently to her and laughed a lot, then suddenly they were interrupted – the little boy was tugging at his robe “Abba, abba!”
He picked him up and they disappeared into the crowd.
She regularly went to the market and found herself searching through the faces to see him, but weeks passed.
At the widow’s stall she collected the olive-oil, but before she could pay for it, a hand reached over her shoulder and dropped the two drachma coin into the outstretched hand.
The widow glared at someone behind her; as she turned, he laughed and grabbed her hand!
It was him, and he came for her!
She followed him through the crowded market, her hand in his – running down a narrow street, he suddenly stopped, opened a door, and pulled her inside.
He placed her jar of oil on the floor, and then come and stood very close to her, he removed her veil, and then kissed her on the mouth, her eyes closed and her heart leaped!
He took her by the hand and led her to a bedroom…
Moments later she heard shouting as armed men burst through the door, he jumped out of the window and left her there – naked, bleeding.
They dragged her into the street, passing the market, where the widow pointed at her and spat on the ground, as they continued to drag her down towards the temple.
Jn.8:2-11: “At dawn He (Jesus) appeared again in the temple courts, where all the people gathered around Him, and He sat down to teach them. The teachers of the law and the Pharisees brought in a woman caught in adultery. They made her stand before the group and said to Jesus, “Teacher, this woman was caught in the act of adultery. In the Law Moses commanded us to stone such women. Now what do you say?”
They were using this question as a trap, in order to have a basis for accusing Him. But Jesus bent down and started to write on the ground with His finger. When they kept on questioning him, He straightened up and said to them, “If any one of you is without sin, let him be the first to throw a stone at her.” Again He stooped down and wrote on the ground. At this, those who heard began to go away one at a time, the older ones first, until only Jesus was left, with the woman still standing there. Jesus straightened up and asked her, “Woman, where are they? Has no one condemned you?” “No one, sir,” she said. “Then neither do I condemn you,” Jesus declared. “Go now and leave your life of sin.”
In the presence of Jesus, she found forgiveness, she found acceptance, she found dignity and she found restoration.
5) He waited for nightfall – having already taken off his Pharisaic robes, he hoped that the darkness would further protect his identity.
Finding Jesus was one thing, but securing a private meeting with this Rabbi without it coming to the ears of the Sanhedrin, was quite another.
He had so many questions, only once before had he been so confused and alarmed by anyone’s teaching, but that was almost twenty years ago.
He remembered it well, for it was just after the Passover.
He often wondered what ever happened to that boy – the one who had amazed them with his questions and the wisdom in his answers, in the temple courts that day.
How he would have loved to teach and shape that young mind – he showed such incredible insight into the things of God.
Unfortunately nobody could find him after his parents came to fetch him from the temple that day. (Lk.2:41-49)
But tonight he was not the teacher, he was the student, filled with so many questions and desperately hoping that this Jesus would have some answers.
He did not want a lecture, or knowledge, that, he could get anywhere.
Tonight he wanted to be set free from different opinions and from speculation; he had to feel it in his spirit – tonight he wanted truth!
Nicodemus was not disappointed that night!
Jesus said: “I tell you the truth, no one can see the kingdom of God unless he is born again.”
“For God so loved the world that He gave His one and only Son, that whoever believes in Him shall not perish but have eternal life. For God did not send His Son into the world to condemn the world, but to save the world through Him.” (Jn.3:3, 16-17)
In the presence of Jesus, Nicodemus found answers, he found truth, he found light and he found his spirit responding to every word of Jesus, as he found salvation.
In that night, he even found the boy from the temple, of those many years before – all in the presence of Jesus!
Coming into the presence of God does different things to different people:
Many, like the disciples, have found their calling in the presence of God.
Many, many others have found physical healing in the Lord’s presence.
Those who were possessed, were set free and even the dead were raised, when Jesus was present.
The little children found love, acceptance and a Kingdom awaiting them.
Millions upon millions have since found salvation, hope and a purpose-filled future, in the presence and person of Jesus Christ.
Jesus read form Isaiah concerning Himself:
“The Spirit of the Lord is upon me, because He has anointed me to preach good news to the poor. He has sent Me to proclaim freedom for the prisoners and recovery of sight for the blind, to release the oppressed, to proclaim the year of the Lord’s favour.” (Lk.4:18-19)
This is what Jesus is still doing to this day.
These are the things that still take place as we come into His presence.
This year, I want to be found in the presence of Jesus.
My life, my future is in only one place – in the presence of Jesus.
I invite you and I implore you to follow us on this same journey:
The woman at the well found – new life and calling, fresh living water.
Zacchaeus – repentance and restoration.
The rich young man – had his reality checked, values and agendas exposed.
An adulterous lady – found forgiveness and restoration.
Nicodemus – found answers, truth and life!
But above all they found Jesus!
They found the author, the healer, the spring of living water, the one who removes sin, the one who gives and sustains abundant life.
I want all of these things, but above all, I just want Him – Jesus!
