The Presence of God

BeenThinkin · #1 01-12-2010, 10:15 AM

What do you consider the Presence of God? How do you define "His Presence?" How does the church determine, in the course of a service, "His Presence?"

missourimary · #2 01-12-2010, 10:30 AM

Wow, there are a lot of ways to define His Presence:
The love that seems to come from nowhere and warms and thrills me inside out
The joy that wells up in me and makes me want to shout
The quiet hush that sweeps across a troubled soul
The peace that comes during trials and storms
The hope beyond hope when logic says there's none
The deep assurance that He is with me no matter what...
The haze of the Shakina
The humbling knowledge that the Creator fills the air we breathe, and floods our souls...
It's that something that makes me dance when there has been sadness, that makes me laugh when there were tears, that tells me all will be well when nothing seems to be.

Yet it goes beyond that. His presence isn't always felt; sometimes it is just known.
I don't know how the church determines His Presence. There are times that I've stood and watched people shout and not felt a thing. There are other times that I was moved deeply and reassured yet no one else thought the service was remarkable at all. Collectively, we are still individuals feeling His joy, peace, love, hope, etc sweep over us, sometimes in similar ways all at the same time and sometimes uniquely for each of us.

BeenThinkin · #3 01-12-2010, 10:37 AM

Quote:

Originally Posted by missourimary

Wow, there are a lot of ways to define His Presence:
The love that seems to come from nowhere and warms and thrills me inside out
The joy that wells up in me and makes me want to shout
The quiet hush that sweeps across a troubled soul
The peace that comes during trials and storms
The hope beyond hope when logic says there's none
The deep assurance that He is with me no matter what...
The haze of the Shakina
The humbling knowledge that the Creator fills the air we breathe, and floods our souls...
It's that something that makes me dance when there has been sadness, that makes me laugh when there were tears, that tells me all will be well when nothing seems to be.

Yet it goes beyond that. His presence isn't always felt; sometimes it is just known.
I don't know how the church determines His Presence. There are times that I've stood and watched people shout and not felt a thing. There are other times that I was moved deeply and reassured yet no one else thought the service was remarkable at all. Collectively, we are still individuals feeling His joy, peace, love, hope, etc sweep over us, sometimes in similar ways all at the same time and sometimes uniquely for each of us.

Great response Mary. The things that you mentioned I feel are certainly a part of our recognizing His Presence. I don't profess to have all the answers and am very interested in what others determine to be "His Presence" in our churches and in our services and in our everyday life outside of the church..

Aquila · #4 01-12-2010, 10:40 AM

When you know Him... you can feel him.

BeenThinkin · #5 01-12-2010, 10:41 AM

Quote:

Originally Posted by Aquila

When you know Him... you can feel him.

Can you define what that feeling is to you?

Paul Weaver · #6 01-12-2010, 10:44 AM

Quote:

Originally Posted by BeenThinkin

What do you consider the Presence of God? How do you define "His Presence?" How does the church determine, in the course of a service, "His Presence?"

I'll know His presence for certain when I look directly into his eyes...

Take your pick from about any of the human emotions to attempt to define His presence.

I do fear that modern Pentecost associates God's presence with the amount of dancing and shouting while the music is playing. Wow, I never thought I'd ever say something like that!

BeenThinkin · #7 01-12-2010, 10:51 AM

Quote:

Originally Posted by Paul Weaver

I'll know His presence for certain when I look directly into his eyes...

Take your pick from about any of the human emotions to attempt to define His presence.

I do fear that modern Pentecost associates God's presence with the amount of dancing and shouting while the music is playing. Wow, I never thought I'd ever say something like that!

And oh do I so agree with you!! I'm going to ask a dangerous question in some circles. ...

How much difference is there in the physical emotion that causes us to scream and shout and run the isles in church and the emotional response that comes forth when our kid just scored a basket or scored a touchdown or our team won?

Do we say we're experiencing God's Presence when it's simply no more than the human nature and ability that he put in us to respond to our feelings. Is it the "Presence of God" or simply our human emotions responding?

BeenThinkin'

rgcraig · #8 01-12-2010, 10:54 AM

You've BeenThinkin' too much..........lol!

missourimary · #9 01-12-2010, 10:55 AM

Good thoughts!

I'm sure Elijah wasn't shouting and dancing in the cleft of the rock, but His presence was definitely real.

1 Kings 19
11 And he said, Go forth, and stand upon the mount before the LORD. And, behold, the LORD passed by, and a great and strong wind rent the mountains, and brake in pieces the rocks before the LORD; but the LORD was not in the wind: and after the wind an earthquake; but the LORD was not in the earthquake:
12 And after the earthquake a fire; but the LORD was not in the fire: and after the fire a still small voice.
13 And it was so, when Elijah heard it, that he wrapped his face in his mantle, and went out, and stood in the entering in of the cave...

Sometimes we experience His presence by feelings... other times by faith.

Paul Weaver · #10 01-12-2010, 10:59 AM

Quote:

Originally Posted by BeenThinkin

Is it the "Presence of God" or simply our human emotions responding?

BeenThinkin'

Something has moved us, we respond with human emotion. That's why Pentecostal worship is labeled as emotionalism by so many.