God at Work.

"I am with you always, until the end of the age." (Matt 28:20)

Jesus' promise to His disciples, and to us.

He is with us and He never leaves us.

"I will ask the Father, and he will give you another advocate to help you and be with you forever - the Spirit of truth." (John 14:16)

I know that God is with me all the time. In my head I know this and I cling to that knowledge, even when I can't feel Him. Even when prayers don't seem to get answered, or when promises aren't fulfilled as quick as I want them to be. Even when I don't feel happy, when I don't feel the joy of the LORD.

Good job my faith is not reliant on my feelings.

"Faith is...assurance about what we do not see" (Hebrews 11:1)

And sometimes, faith is all I have. Sometimes I have to reach out anyway, even though I can't see or feel what it is I believe in.

But every so often, there comes a time when I do feel the presence of God, so gentle yet so real in my life. I don't cling to these experiences, but I enjoy them. I am refreshed and built up by them.

As we worshiped on Sunday in church, I knew He was there, I could physically feel His presence and felt His gentle nudging to trust Him, to step out. It's usually an emotional experience for me when God moves like that and I cry although I'm not sad. But there is just this peace, and contentment, and a gentle power.

Tonight, again, I could feel Him.

It's more than simply knowing in my head that God is there. It's knowing in my heart, with my heart. And it's knowing with every fibre of my being that there is more to this life that simply what is seen.

My friend Helen has recently joined our Exec Committee for CU. She is becoming a very good friend of mine. And over the time I have a known her, I've prayed for her a few times, that God would heal her back. She suffers with tension and pain in her lower back and has done for a few years. I think it's increased by stress too, so with exams over the past couple of weeks, and more to come, it's been a somewhat stressful and painful few weeks for her.

Tonight, our God who is Healer, took away the pain and tension she was feeling in her back and she was healed completely.

It's more than simply knowing the God is there. It's seeing it with my eyes, and experiencing it with others. It's seeing human frailty and weakness, restored and healed in Jesus' name by the One true God, who is living and active, and knowing beyond a shadow of a doubt that it was the LORD at work. Amidst us.
What an honour.

And this God, lives in me.

What an honour.

I want this temple to be the best it can be for my LORD. Because He deserves my all and He is more than worth it.