Mark spoke from Psalm 16:11 last night (“You have made known to me the path of life; you will fill me with joy in your presence, with eternal pleasures at your right hand.”)
Being in God’s presence (literally, ‘face’) brings many advantages and blessings. There is nowhere we can go to flee from God’s presence (Ps 139:7-10). God is omnipresent and His presence is everywhere. His presence gives us direction (showing us the path of life), brings us not only joy, but overflowing joy and introduces us to pleasures that will last forever.
The pleasures and joy that we can know come from Jesus (who sits at God’s right hand.) God’s presence brings us into a right relationship with Him (Ps 17:2-7). He is our defender, able to protect us from the attacks of the enemy.
Ps 21:1-7 lists several other benefits of being in God’s presence:
* strength and salvation
* fulfilment of dreams
* eternal blessings
* life
* unfailing love
* mercy
Being in God’s presence brings us protection and shelter (Ps 31:20). We can hide in His presence and rest, leaving Him to work out the situations which are beyond us. Ps 51:10-12 shows us that when we are close to God, there is joy and the Holy Spirit works within us to grant us a willing spirit and to renew and restore and uphold.
We were designed to live in God’s presence (Ps 139:1-16) and yet so often we fail to perceive God’s presence. We may be with Him, but don’t give Him our full attention or allow circumstances to cloud our vision. May we learn to dwell in His presence and enjoy all the benefits this brings!