IN THE PRESENCE OF THE LORD, WE ENCOUNTER HIS PEACE

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Let us press on to know the Lord. As surely as the sun rises, He will appear; He will come to us like the rain, like the spring showers that water the earth. – Hosea 6:3 –

Picture a warm spring day… a misty shower lightly falling, watering the earth… cooling, refreshing, life-giving. The Lord offers rest, refreshment and restoration for our souls. How we long for this on a daily basis. Just as God awakens the new seeds to life, His presence restores new life in us. He enlivens our spirits.

The Lord wants His people to know Him. His presence offers a peace that surpasses all understanding (Philippians 4:7). He desires that we seek Him with all our hearts (Jeremiah 29:13). His promise is to make Himself known to us through the Holy Spirit.

The Lord will always guide you; He will satisfy you in a sun-scorched land and strengthen your frame. You will be like a well-watered garden, like a spring whose waters never fail. – Isaiah 58:11

At times, we experience a dry spell in our faith walk when we neglect to seek our Lord, when we fail to recognize the comfort and presence of the Spirit with us. We are like parched soil in dire need of a refreshing rain.

I will refresh the weary soul and replenish all who are weak. – Jeremiah 31:25

God promises to refresh and renew us, to revive our spiritually thirsty souls. His replenishment offers strength and empowerment for daily living.

The Lord is my Shepherd… He refreshes my soul. – Psalm 23:1, 3

Jesus is our Shepherd. Through Him, we discover the Sabbath rest we so desperately need. His Spirit revives our spirits. He gives us the peace that heals our troubled souls.

The law of the Lord is perfect, refreshing the soul. – Psalm 19:7

God’s Word cleanses and purifies our minds, our motives, our beliefs. It aligns our thoughts with the truth… guides us along the path for right living… and rekindles our hope.

At Pentecost, Peter exhorted the people of Jerusalem to return to the Lord to experience His peace…

Repent and return, so that your sins may be wiped away, in order that times of refreshing may come from the presence of the Lord. – Acts 3:19-20

When we come to the Lord faithfully asking for His forgiveness, we have the assurance that our sins are washed away. The Lord removes our sins as far away as the east is from the west (Psalm 103:12). As we keep our slates clean before Him, we find the refreshment He promises. In the Lord’s presence is where we discover true rest for our souls (Matthew 11:29).

†   Eternal Takeaway – Times of refreshing come from the Lord’s presence through His Spirit   †