The Lord is Here

By Jen G. 2011

In Genesis 28 Jacob realizes that even in his darkest hour, sleeping on the ground with a rock for a pillow, that God is there. After studying this passage in December as part of our Advent readings, the children and I each wrote the words The Lord is here on small scraps of paper and tucked them in our pockets. Whenever we touched our papers we would remember that, even in that moment, we were not alone.* This morning I found one of those folded up papers and it prompted me to write the words on my kitchen chalkboard.

And I will pray the Father, and He will give you another Helper, that He may abide with you forever - the Spirit of truth, whom the world cannot receive, because it neither sees Him nor knows Him; but you know Him, for He dwells with you and will be in you. John 14:16-17

It is amazing to me how quickly I forget that the Holy Spirit is with me 24/7. It is as though I have given Him a time card and expect Him to clock out for a certain amount of time each day. My human mind can not comprehend that He would choose to be with me while I change a blow-out diaper. Or yell at my husband. Or deal with a child's bad attitude. After all, I certainly do not want to be there in those moments. Yet He has promised that He will be, no matter what and no matter when. The God of all comfort is with me all day and all night. No matter the circumstance.

(fast forward six days.....)

The day after I wrote the words above, four of my children became ill. For the first time in 17 years of parenting I had more than one child with the stomach flu at the same time.  I do not do the flu. But - the Lord does and He was here with us through the entire week.  Everytime I passed my chalkboard on the way to get more cleaning supplies, I was reminded that...  

The Lord is here. 

Prayer:

Lord God, I am so amazed at Your gift of Your Holy Spirit - ever present, ever helping, ever giving wisdom.  May I be mindful of Your constant presence with me in every part of my day.  I want to walk in Your wisdom and with Your heart towards those around me.  Amen.

Challenge:

Sketch your own little Jacob's ladder (Genesis 28) and write the words The Lord is here on a scrap of paper.  Tuck it in your pocket; each time you touch it remember the incredible truth that the God of the universe is there with you!  Get the strength, patience, wisdom and love you need for the moment from Him.

Good reads: I highly recommend the book Forgotten God by Francis Chan. 

*(Credit: Jesse Tree Advent Devotional from A Holy Experience.)

Jen G. 2011