John 21:12

Jesus said to them, “Come and have breakfast.” None of the disciples dared ask him, “Who are you?” They knew it was the Lord.

A curious thing happens after Jesus is raised from the dead; His appearance is altered so that he is no longer recognizable by the 12 disciples, those who walked with him daily and were closest to him.  And yet, despite such an altered appearance, the disciples knew with absolute certainty that they were in his presence although they were unable to recognize him. Even though the question "Who are you?" flickered on their minds, none of them dared ask it for inwardly they knew it was the LORD.  Why, then, are we so often surprised that when we search for God he doesn't show up how we expect him to?

Had the disciples only looked with their eyes, they might have missed Jesus standing on the beach altogether because they were looking for something else.  Sometimes Jesus just doesn't look the way we want him to or act the way we expect, but if our view of who Jesus is and what he will do is so narrow, we often will miss the answers to our prayers.  The ability to discern God's presence comes only from walking closely with the LORD, just as when you spend so much time with someone you can just tell when they approach by the rhythm of their footsteps.

Can you hear the LORD approaching to just know when you are in his presence?  If not, you may just miss breakfast.

Philippians 4:6-7

"Do not be anxious about anything, but in every situation, by prayer and petition, with thanksgiving, present your requests to God.  And the peace of God, which transcends all understanding, will guard your hearts and your minds in Christ Jesus."

What is prayer?  It is an act of communion with a deity. It is the act of drawing nearer into the presence of God and it is God's presence which comforts and gives peace of mind.  Prayer is how you connect with God, whatever the form (writing, art, music, dancing, nature walks, etc.).

Prayer has four main uses:

1. Petition:  Asking God to fulfill both spiritual and physical needs.  This is what most people think of when they think of prayer.
2. Contrition:  Confessing your sins to God and asking for his forgiveness.
3. Adoration:  Worshiping God for who He is.  This is an act of fully appreciating the fullness of God's character.
4. Thanksgiving:  Thanking God for provision.

Prayer doesn't even need words.  If you walk mindfully through the woods in silence, appreciating creation and communing with God, you are praying.  If you are reading God's Holy Word and meditating on it, you are praying.  Prayer is a conversation; Not just you talking, but also listening.  If ever you would just keep silent you might just hear God whispering to you.

What a joy it is to be in the presence of God and to know his peace!  Be mindful of him always and you will pray without ceasing.  It's like being with a lover all day and night;  Prayer is true bliss.

1 Samuel 6:20

"Who can stand in the presence of the LORD, this holy God?"

    There is no denying that the Lord's presence does powerful things. Those who even dare to approach him boldly or carelessly perish in his presence. To those in Beth Shemesh, 50,070 men perished just from looking into the ark where the Lord's presence dwelled! It is no wonder why they uttered this question in 1 Samuel 6, for indeed who can stand in the presence of the Lord, this holy God?

    To what then can we speak of the Lord's presence with us today? The Lord dwells within His temple not built by human hands but by His own. His presence is made known to all those who call upon Him, that through His Son he is known to us and that through the Holy Spirit he dwells within us. You are that Temple who trust in the Lord. That same power which raised Christ and led Moses and his people out of Egypt dwells in those who would receive it. You are the place where Heaven meets Earth.

    It comes as no surprise, then, that the closer one gets to God in Christ, the more one dies inwardly to the flesh and lives eternally in the spirit. God is so holy, that is wholly other, that to receive him all at once would be death. Confronted with our own sin and shame, we again ask "Who can stand?" None other than whomever Christ raises.