Over the past few months I’ve been thinking about the language we use in worship and prayer. Often times I find myself, or hear others, praying that God would reveal himself, or make his presence known, or show up in a worship service. I never used to question this sort of language.

But recently I have begun to think that we have it backwards. God is always present. We know this as Christians. God is “omnipresent.” But more to the point, in the words of Jesus, “the kingdom of heaven” is at hand and wherever two or more are gathered in his name he is there with us. The scriptures make it clear: God is accessible and present to us all, in our joy and grief and poverty and persecution.

The question, therefore, should not be whether God is present to us. The question should be whether we take the time, and make the space, to be present to God. And the reason this is important has to do with whether God will be able to use you and your gifts.

Many people wonder how to use their gifts and how to do God’s will. This is my advice: Make yourself present to God so you can be a blessing to the world.

Pastor Matt