Ever since the Fall of Man, the echo of the ages has always been to become more fully aware of and immersed in the Presence of God.
The Psalmist declares,
Where can I go from Your Spirit?
Or where can I flee from Your presence?
If ascend into heaven, You are there;
If I make my bed in hell, behold, You are there.
If I take the wings of the morning, And dwell in the uttermost parts of the sea, Even there Your hand shall lead me, And Your right hand shall hold me.
If I say, "Surely the darkness shall fall on me,"
Even the night shall be light about me;
Brother Lawrence said in the 17th Century:
"Lift up your heart to Him during your meals and in company; the least little remembrance will always be the most pleasing to Him. One need not cry out very loudly; He is nearer to us than we think."
Even the hymn writer sings as he feels:
Far off, O God, and yet most near,
Unseen, yet shining clear in all,
Thy presence moves, Thy ways appear,
In system's rise and sparrow's fall.
R. T. Kendall belongs in the same class as such notable theologians as Martin Lloyd-Jones and John Stott. Pastor of Westminster Chapel in central London for over 25 years, R. T. originally was part of the Church of the Nazarene denomination before going against family, community, and education in becoming a non-denominational Christian. Over the years, Kendall has authored over 50 books on the Christian faith. Today Pastor Kendall is retired from ministry, but continues to add to his vast collection of many writings as a very astute and knowledgeable man of God.
In The Presence of God: Discovering God’s Ways Through Intimacy With Him, Kendall doesn’t introduce us to the presence of God, he doesn’t give us a five step plan to become more aware of God's presence, and he doesn’t endlessly tell us of how this book will bless us and change our lives. Rather, Kendall doesn’t take center stage at all, but through sound teaching, always points to the Creator and His Word.
Kendall explores, expounds, and equips us in the Presence of God. Exploring God’s multi-dimensional Presence from His Omnipresence to His Abiding Presence and still on to His Manifest Presence. Like a many-faceted diamond looking through a magnifying glass, God’s Presence is a powerful force that His children can connect to in various ways. Whether it be prayer, worship, or as Brother Lawrence said ‘the least remembrance of Him’.
I am a person who struggles to connect with the Almighty. My parents spoke ‘the love of Jesus’ in one breath then abused me in the next. So I have always seen God through those tainted lenses of abuse. But the more I grow older, the more I understand that God is good and His mercies endure forever. In His Presence there is fullness of joy and pleasures at His right hand. The Lord may not have stopped my parents from abusing me cause it would interfere with their free wills, but neither did He condone it. In fact, He may have openly tried to stop it by sending certain people into the right moment at the right time. Or, by sending an encouraging word, a shoulder to cry on, or a true friend to exhort me to continue on, persevere, and endure for many good things will come to those who wait on the Lord! I will never know what happened exactly this side of eternity. My only hope is that twenty, fifty years from now I will still go on a singing:
Still all my song shall be
Nearer, my God, to Thee
!