Day one: Read John 16:7, 12, & 13. The first two days of this week we will focus on this passage. Jesus has promised never to leave us alone. We know that we find the living God in the pages of the Bible but do we also know that we can find Him exactly where we are everyday. Jesus told His disciples that it was for their own good that He was going away. He said the Advocate (Holy Spirit) would not come until He went away and sent Him to them. He certainly kept that promise. As a result we can find God where ever we are. We forget about this and are sometimes surprised when we become aware of God, as if He just showed up. He didn’t just show up. He was there all the time. We just were not aware. Have you ever had a sudden awareness of God’s presence in your life? In looking back can you see that there is evidence of His presence even when you were unaware? Write your thoughts in your journal.
Day two: Jesus promised that the Holy Spirit would lead us to the complete truth. That promise is sure. We simply have to follow the advice we were given about crossing the street as children, “Stop, look, and listen.” When we listen and follow He guides us to the truth about God and life. He gives us wisdom in all things. To God there can be nothing so small or insignificant that He will not give us guidance through all things. We make a mistake if we think God is only in the dramatic things, the great sunsets, the majestic mountains, and the rolling sea. He is also in the small things; the smile of someone we meet on the street, the gnarled hands of an old person, the music we hear, the laughter and the sorrow we experience. So no matter what you are facing claim the promise of Jesus to give you guidance through it. Have you got any mountains to climb or mole hills to step across? Name them and ask for God’s guidance, no matter how great or small the circumstance.
Day three: Read John 14: 23. If God is willing to make His home with us, He is certainly willing to make Himself known to us. He makes Himself known in people, especially through people who love us so deeply that they believe in and trust us. There is no limit to the ways in which God can and does make Himself known to us. At any turn in our lives there can be a meeting and revelation of God. Sometimes those moments are so clear that we want to burst into song and praise Him instantly. At other times the revelation is subtle and seen in retrospect. It is in meeting God regularly that we grow in peace and the fact is until we learn to live in Him and allow Him to dwell in us we shall never be aware of His peace. Have you felt the peace of God deep in your life? Write your thoughts about that time.
Day four: Read Revelation 3:20. There is no passage in the Bible that sheds greater light on prayer that this one. We don’t have to beg God to come into our lives. We simply have to open the door. It is an awesome thought to me to realize that God wants to come into my heart. He actually knocks on my door wanting me to let Him in. Doesn’t that help us to understand statements like, “ Before they call, I will answer, and while they are still speaking, I will hear.” (Isaiah 65:24) Prayer is the key that opens the door but God already wants to come in. At some time this week just speak a simple prayer to the Lord by saying, “Come on in.” He will. Think about the desire of God to come into your life and write your thoughts about that.
Day five: We need air and unless we live in a vacuum or outer space, we are always surrounded by plenty of air. Air, like Jesus, always seeks to enter our bodies but we have to continue breathing. Air wants in so badly that we can hardly hold our breathe for a minute. We make better us of the air if we exercise our bodies and the organs of respiration. God, air is all around us and prayer is the way we breathe in His presence. I often suggest to people that they take a few deep breathes and relax before beginning a prayer time. This is even a good exercise for prayer groups. As you conclude these few minutes of devotional thought take a few minutes to do some deep breathing. Think to yourself, “I am breathing in the presence of God just as I am breathing in the air around me. I breath out whatever is not pure and not of God and breath in the holy presence of God.” After about five such breathes, stop and write your thoughts.
Day six: Jesus said, “If you love me you will do what I command.” There is also an unspoken truth implied in these words. If we love Jesus we will want to spend time with Him. We all enjoy spending time with the people we love. The more we love someone the more we want to be with them. If you measure you love for Jesus by the amount of time that you spend with Him, the amount of time you pray, and the amount of time that you think about Him, what do you conclude about your love for Him? When I grow in love for Jesus, no one will have to remind me to watch for Him and to listen to Him. I will eagerly embrace Him in faith at every opportunity. What does you time spent with Jesus say about your love for Him? Write your thoughts.
Day seven: Simply worship God today. Perhaps one great way to do that is by just reading the words of a great hymn or Psalm. Select one of your favorites and slowly read it as you worship the always present God in your life.