Six simple yet powerful words.
I recently read a quote from a book that has stuck with me.
Present to God… present to people.
-Charles De Foucauld
Such a short, simple quote that can be revolutionary in your life! Truly, think about these six words and what they would mean if we lived them in our lives.
Present to God first. Go to God and desperately desire His voice and direction in your life. Do not leave your prayers until He responds.
Be still, and know that I am God! Psalms 46:10 NLT
It is only in the consistent stillness that we start to recognize His voice, discover who God truly is, and receive His wisdom to guide our lives. Unfortunately, many times we act first and pray second, but if we are going to have a Heavenly influence in the world, we must knock on Heaven’s doors to be opened up in our hearts!
Present to people is only life-changing when people experience the life-changing Jesus through our lives. When we can minister from the overflow of the anointing that God has given us, real transformation occurs. It is also at this place that you go before God before you go to people that you start to see people the way Jesus does. Jesus sees people for what they can be if they experience His grace. Oh, that we would have the eyes of Jesus. When we start to see people’s potential, we have compassion for their hurts, and we have hope for their future. We must quit condemning and start interceding for people. Let’s quit judging and start shepherding people towards health. We need to stop keeping people at arm’s length and start building trusting relationships. It is at this place when we begin living our eternal purpose and understand what life is about.
Let’s be people that Present to God… present to people.
4 Comments
Medessa · October 7, 2020 at 11:24 am
This is what Celebrate Recovery is all about! When people give their testimonies of how Jesus has pulled them from the depths of hell (I refuse to capitalize that place, LOL) it allows them to “present to people”, thus planting the seed of hope and Jesus’ LOVE.
I would LOVE to say everyone who passes through our doors is “recovered” and ready to give their “testimony”. Nope! We see people relapse, stop going to church and CR, hide from texts, phone calls, etc. We even see people head back to jail. The one thing we have noticed is those who slide backward for a while, COME BACK!
“We must quit condemning and start interceding for PEOPLE.”
“Let’s quit judging and start shepherding PEOPLE towards health.”
“We need to stop keeping PEOPLE at arm’s length and start building trusting relationships.”
PEOPLE = ALL PEOPLE, drug addicts, porn addicts, thieves, liars, prostitutes, fellons, disabled, those with mental health issues….. ALL PEOPLE
PS: I LOVE these Blogs! Great food for thought and nice base for reflection.
Gail Steadman · October 8, 2020 at 7:00 am
Absolutely. My understanding of the six words: The Lord God is above all things weak, powerful, great and small. Remember, Jesus saved a prostitute from being stoned to death. We are ALL of equal value [in His eyes].
Pastor Mike · October 8, 2020 at 2:27 pm
That is so POWERFUL and so humbling when we realize he saved a wretch like ME!
Pastor Mike · October 8, 2020 at 2:26 pm
I am so proud of what you and Todd do, and you are a testament that ALL that call upon Jesus can be forgiven, redeemed, and transformed!