Our God is a present father
Katie Neipp
You know that feeling when you are with someone you love? Whether it be a best friend, a parent, spouse, or family member, when you love someone you're happy being around them.
It doesn’t matter what you do, you’re just content to have them in the room. You could be doing completely different activities, but having that person in the same room sweetens the air.
You feel whole, like everything you could ever want or need has been provided in this moment. In this moment, it’s just the two of you. Outside troubles are out of reach, and you’re at peace.
This feeling is special because God gave it to us. He gave it to us to point us toward Him.
Our loved ones can only be with us for parts of the day, and even then we may not even have their full attention. But God isn’t like that. He is with you every moment of the day and every sleeping hour of the night. He is always fully present.
You don’t just get a ration of God. He is perplexingly fully present, ready to hear and comfort you.
In Genesis, Hagar calls out to God calling Him “El Roi,” the God who sees me. This is an understatement. For God not only sees you, He hears you, knows you, and understands you. He is fully present in your past, present, and future. He knows the number of hairs on your head (Luke 12:7).
Three Ways to Start Seeing God’s Presence
1. Wake up thanking Him.
“He awakens me morning by morning” (Isaiah 50:4).
Every morning, as you take your waking breath, remember, “The spirit of God created me. The breath of the Almighty has given me life.” The fact that you are alive is proof of His work in your life and His purpose for your life! (Psalm 54:4)
Before you reach for your phone or make lists for the day, stop and say, “Thank you.” You have been blessed with a new day, and you are not facing it alone. Your heavenly Father has given you a new day to walk hand-in-hand with Him.
Gratitude humbles us and prepares us to experience more of God’s presence. When we are thankful, our eyes are opened to the amazing blessings our Father has given us.
2. Be mindful of His presence throughout the day.
“Just as you, Father, are in me and I in you, so they might be one heart and mind with us”
(John 17:21).
God invites us to live in constant harmony with His heart and mind. We have been given the invitation to sense His presence in every moment. As we open ourselves to being with Him in our day, it becomes easier to tap into the deep well of peace and trust He supplies.
Pause and remind yourself that you are not alone. Maybe that happens through prayer or listening to a worship song. Focusing on God’s presence can be as simple as getting quiet, feeling your heart beating, and remembering, “God is sustaining me.” Whatever refocusing looks like for you, let it act as a compass, pointing you towards your True North.
3. Go to bed resting in Him.
“And my mouth shall praise you with joyful lips; When I remember you on my bed, and meditate on you in the night watches” (Psalm 63:5-6).
As you go to bed tonight, know that you are not alone. Your heavenly Father is with you, ready to tuck you in at night. He wants to hear your thoughts on the day and remove any worries about tomorrow. As you fall asleep, He watches over you. Allow yourself to sleep peacefully, knowing you are safe in His arms and wrapped in His love.
Use the time you would normally spend running through the events of the day and the problems of tomorrow to tell your Father about your day. Tell Him about the problems at work or that upcoming project, then fall asleep knowing that your Father has heard you. He loves you, and He will take care of you tomorrow just as much as He did today.
You never have to feel alone. That special feeling you get with maybe one other person doesn’t have to be temporary. You have access to a loving Father who is always with you and wants to be with you. He wants to spend every moment of every day loving and caring for you.
We just have to wake up and greet Him.