See it, Amy

......and lo, I am with you always, even to the end of the age.
Matthew 28:20

Yes, I shared this verse with you last time.

But I couldn't just leave it at that.

I must tell you the rest of the story.

He had been communicating to me for several weeks that my focus for 2016 was to be His presence. He's been reminding me that the things and behaviors I don't like about myself could be greatly impacted by this word and realizing His presence in every single moment. It was no accident that the verse of the day that came up on my phone that morning was Matthew 28:19 where we are reminded to go and make disciples. I almost skipped it that day and looked for something else to study because the verse was pretty familiar, but I sensed the Spirit telling me to go there anyway.

So I did.

I read the familiar words, trying to see what He wanted to show me.

It wasn't in verse 19, but the treasure for that morning was just a few words later, in verse 20.

Packed in some of the last words Jesus spoke before returning to Heaven was one word, seemingly small and insignificant, but enormous with impact and importance. One word that is vital to my focus of His Presence this year.

Lo.

It parked on my heart for a moment and I knew it wasn't to be ignored. This is more significant than a simple "a, and, or the", I thought.

And what I thought was confirmed.

Lo, comes from the greek word "idou", which means: behold, see.
It's written in an imperative voice, which means it's a command.

See.

See it, Amy.

See that I am with you.

I've been looking at my circumstances, my frustrations, my desk mounded up with papers and projects that seem to have no end, with broken eyes. Broken eyes have a broken perspective.

I don't remember when I was first taught that He was always with me, always present. I just remember always knowing it. But now He wants me to REALLY KNOW it. He wants this moved from my head to my heart and believed, not believed as a fact, but as an awareness that is real truth.

......See that I am with you always.

The first step of focusing on His presence for me is deciding to see it. When I am aware of the presence of the Almighty, regardless of whether or not I sense His presence, my responses, my attitudes, my reactions, my words will be impacted.  Being aware of His presence also gives me Hope to cling to in the midst of struggle because I realize that I'm not alone.

For it is then that I see that I am on holy ground.

What about you? How do you keep His presence ever before you?

XOXO


#Presence 2016

I'm linking up with Katie Orr who is hosting an online FOCUSed15 study called Everyday Hope.