Journey Outside the Camp

Practising the presence of God

I've been heads down working on new Sunday School lessons since December (hence the scarcity of posts). One of the series that my wife and I are working on is called Christian Fundamentals. Not the world's best title but it's a follow-up series for our gospel lessons based on The Stranger on the Road to Emmaus by John R. Cross. At the end of the The Stranger, the class now understands the gospel and believes. But the immediate question is: "What do I do now that I believe?" That's where Christian Fundamentals comes in to answer those questions and show what new believers should do to get closer to God.

One of the things we talk about is seeking God's face daily. And the phrase I lit upon was from Brother Lawrence's book, Practicing the Presence of God.

That title really struck a chord with me. As I wrote the lesson, I started to work out for myself just how to practise his presence. God is always here with me. It was just a matter of me “invoking my own presence” as author Mark Buchanan puts it in his book Your God is too Safe.

It is sweet to be in God’s presence. It is sweet to be able to relate to him throughout the day, sharing problems and sensing him respond in many different ways. I asked him for some advice on a work matter. Within the day, I had a chance to get feedback and advice from a colleague. Just one example of how I could hear God respond when I spent time tuning in to him.

I’m learning as I prepare the lessons. I’m learning to seek his face. Instead of just glancing generally in God’s direction, to really focus, like a twist of the camera lens to bring him into sharp relief.

1 Chronicle 22:19
Now set your mind and heart to seek the Lord your God.

Colossians 3:1–2
If then you have been raised with Christ, seek the things that are above, where Christ is, seated at the right hand of God. Set your minds on things that are above, not on things that are on earth.

Slavery to religion; freedom in Christ

People have the idea that being a Christian is being moulded to be a certain type of person armed with a list of dos and don’ts. They have the notion that Christianity pushes certain paradigms that force restrictions on people. For example, men are the head of the house; women must be submissive. You have to behave properly. You need to avoid bars. Rock music is bad. You cannot swear. You mustn't have dirty thoughts. You need to become intolerant of other people’s beliefs. And on and on. Being a Christian therefore is restricting yourself. You are chained and gagged. You become a slave.

That is so far from the truth. The truth is, we are slaves to sin. Whether we admit to it or not, that's the actual truth. Deep in our gut, we know we are sinful. Some people are better than others at glossing over this fact. “I’m not a bad person. I give to charity. I’m kind to my co-workers. I help my neighbours.” But even these people have moments of bare honesty and know they are sinners.

God wants us to be free from sin. He wants us to be free from the shackles of sin so that we can become who he created us to be: men and women who were created to find their best joy in worshiping God. In his mercy, God sent Jesus to take on our sin and the punishment we deserve in order to restore the freedom that actually belongs to us. When we believe, we are made new and can live free.

To let us see that we were created as people with freedom, recall what God said to Adam and Eve in the garden of Eden.

Genesis 1:27–28
So God created man in his own image, in the image of God he created him; male and female he created them. And God blessed them. And God said to them, “Be fruitful and multiply and fill the earth and subdue it and have dominion over the fish of the sea and over the birds of the heavens and over every living thing that moves on the earth.”

God gave Adam and Eve the freedom to take charge of the whole earth. He didn’t give them specific commands on how to do it. He let them think for themselves and choose how to take care of the earth. They were free. But as the Bible records, they chose to believe Satan instead of God and in their act of rebellion, they lost their freedom and became slaves to sin and Satan.

Jesus came to right that and set us free.

Galatians 5:1
For freedom Christ has set us free; stand firm therefore, and do not submit again to a yoke of slavery.

1 Peter 2:16
Live as people who are free, not using your freedom as a cover-up for evil, but living as servants of God.

Believing in Christ sets us free. Free to be alive. Free to be our real selves. Free to joyfully worship God because that’s the best thing to do in life. Being with God gives us the most happiness and pleasure. Why wouldn’t we want that? Why remain a slave to sin and an enemy of God when you can be a free and adopted son of the Lord of the universe?