IT'S IN HIS PRESENCE

I have a sweet Boston Terrier with both a mischievous streak and a guilt complex. He loves to get into things and then abscond with them when he thinks he's in trouble. Most of the time, if he would just stay near me, he would see that I only make him give up the things that could ultimately harm him. There is always lots of love and attention if he would only stick around.

It's not just a puppy thing; since the dawn of Creation, mankind has hidden from God when they feel they have done something wrong. When Adam and Eve sinned, they tried to hide from the presence of God. When Cain killed his brother, he ran from the presence of God. When Jonah didn't want to do God's will, he fled from the presence of God. In each case, they found only heartache.

And yet God showed mercy. He sought out Adam and Eve; He gave Cain a mark to save his life from any who would hurt him; He sought out Jonah and gave him a second chance.
We don't always consciously seek out sin. Sometimes we just mess up. How tragic it is that, when we need Him most, our human instinct is to run from the presence of God. And yet He still loves and He still pursues. He brings His presence to us when we are afraid to find it for ourselves.

In Acts 3:19, Peter addressed a group who had made mistakes. He told them to repent, but he beautifully concluded by saying,

"times of refreshing shall come from the presence of the Lord."

Our first impulse may be to run, but the greatest peace, reconciliation, and refreshing of spirit flood our lives when we fall into, not away from, His presence. As David beautifully wrote,
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"in [His] presence is fulness of joy" (Ps 16).