Planning Meetings: Seeking the Presence of God

Intro

Monks:

St. Anthony & St. Benedict

St. Anthony was a wealthy Egyptian Christian, who sought to follow God but felt God calling him to more. He read the passage..

I personally could not be a monk. It’s not the quiet and the living way out in the middle of nowhere and the not talking to people, I could handle that. I’m assuming that monks aren’t allowed to go to the movies, and that’s the part I couldn’t do.

SEEK THE PRESENCE OF GOD.

Verses:

Matthew 14:13 NLT

As soon as Jesus heard the news, he left in a boat to a remote area to be alone. But the crowds heard where he was headed and followed on foot from many towns.

Matthew 14:23 NLT

After sending them home, he went up into the hills by himself to pray. Night fell while he was there alone.

Matthew 17:1 NLT

Six days later Jesus took Peter and the two brothers, James and John, and led them up a high mountain to be alone.

Mark 6:32 NLT

So they left by boat for a quiet place, where they could be alone.

Luke 9:18 NLT

One day Jesus left the crowds to pray alone. Only his disciples were with him, and he asked them, “Who do people say I am?”

Mark 1:35 NLT

Before daybreak the next morning, Jesus got up and went out to an isolated place to pray.

Luke 4:42 NLT

Early the next morning Jesus went out to an isolated place. The crowds searched everywhere for him, and when they finally found him, they begged him not to leave them.

Luke 5:16 NLT

But Jesus often withdrew to the wilderness for prayer.

Do you get it?!

This is the point: It was the consistent pattern of Jesus’ life and ministry to get away to be in the presence of God.

And the question I kept asking myself this week as I was preparing was this: If it this was the consistent patter for Jesus—you know, the person who is LITERALLY GOD—then why do I think I can survive without it?

You know how we do. Ah man, I’m busy, I’m tired. I’ll be okay today. I can spend time with God later. The baby woke up early and interrupted my normal time, so I guess I’ll just try again tomorrow.

So, there are three things I think we can learn from Jesus about what it means to seek the presence of God: Retreat, Enjoy, and Stay.

RETREAT to the presence of God

In nearly all of these verses, Jesus isn’t just spending time in the presence of God, but he is retreating to the presence of God. Here’s what I mean by retreat. Jesus had to make a physical change of space. Daily life is chaotic. There’s a bunch going on. There is distraction and temptation and it’s so easy to get caught up in the

Jesus had to limit his contacts (He couldn’t do it in front of everyone, narrowing number of people in his circle)

ENJOY the presence of God

Jesus loves God and God loves him (John 14 & 15)

STAY in the presence of God

Jesus had a regular practice of solitude and prayer

Jesus used this practice to remember & stay connected to the presence of God all the time