What’s your first thought when seeing the sun diffusing through clouds high above? As the light streams down from radiant beams I’m always reminded of God’s presence. It’s like He’s showing me He’s near and present, even if I cannot physically see Him.
Winding down on our #BePresent series this Lent, we’ve discussed being Purposeful and being present in Real life with Eyes open to the world around us, even when it’s Stressful. We understand the importance of making Every moment count and we do this by remembering God is near as we strive to do the same. N=Near
God is near to us in so many ways we cannot always see or even fathom. Remember how Elisha prayed for God to open the eyes of his scared servant so he could physically see how God’s heavenly army was surrounding them?
“Don’t be afraid!” Elisha told him. “For there are more on our side than on theirs!” Then Elisha prayed, “O Lord, open his eyes and let him see!” The Lord opened the young man’s eyes, and when he looked up, he saw that the hillside around Elisha was filled with horses and chariots of fire. ~2 Kings 6:16-17
The same is true for us, God is always near; we just can’t always see Him the way we want. This I why I love huge displays of God’s glory in sunbeams, rainbows, beautiful creatures or just the simple beauty of a sunrise. It’s a reminder of God’s presence but also how He is present with us. In the busyness of life, I don’t want to miss the beauty of these simple expressions of God and how to be present in them and with others.

David knew God was present and could sense His presence even when he couldn’t see Him. I wonder if He knew God was near when seeing sunbeams as I do? It makes me want to praise Him with joy as David did:
But let the godly rejoice.
Let them be glad in God’s presence.
Let them be filled with joy.
4 Sing praises to God and to his name!
Sing loud praises to him who rides the clouds.
His name is the Lord—
rejoice in his presence!
19 Praise the Lord; praise God our savior!
For each day he carries us in his arms. ~Psalm 68:3-4, 19
Each day, each moment God is carrying us. He’s that near to us. It’s our job to have faith and trust in God’s ability to #BePresent even when we cannot physically see Him. Let’s choose to be present and also sense how God is near us in all those moments we want to make matter like:
- Holding a loved one’s hand without saying a word.
- Reading silently yet still present with each other.
- Opening up the Bible to the exact message needed that day.
- Loving acts of kindness in the world around us.
- Laughing, loving and being near in the big and small moments.
Life is full of moments and how we choose to live and see them makes a difference, not only in our lives but also in those whose moments intersect with ours. Let’s remember God is near in all of them. We can seek His love, peace, guidance, and strength through a simple prayer. We don’t need a giant sunbeam to remind us, only simple trust in His presence as we seek to #BePresent.
Linking with #ChasingCommunity & #HeartEncouragement
