The presence of the sun is easily noticed by its attendant increase in intensity of heat and brightness of the earth. The presence of the moon is heralded by the glow of its luminousity and splendour of its colour. The stars are visibly noticed and identified in the sky with their glittering and shinning display. Similarly, God’s glory cannot be denied anywhere His presence is evidently manifested.
In the Old Testament, God’s presence was basically periodical and occasional. He was always coming to visit Adam and Eve whenever there was the need. He was usually talking to Abraham whenever He wanted. There was no permanence of residence of His presence with them at that time. Nevertheless, He was always there for His people, albeit, only manifesting as God for us. In the New Testament, God came down to dwell with man, and He became God with us. That is why one of His divine names is Emmanuel - God with us. *“And the Word was made flesh, and dwelt among us, (and we beheld His glory, the glory as of the only begotten of the Father,) full of grace and truth”* (Jn. 1:14). Jesus Christ is the Word who needed to transform to the image of man to be able to dwell with him. What a privilege to have divinity dwelling among humanity! In the scripture above, the people of that time were firstly able to decipher the glory of Jesus Christ. Beloved, nobody will truly be with Jesus, without experiencing the glory of His presence. Are you really in intimate relationship with Jesus? Secondly, they also discerned that He was full of grace and truth. The presence of Jesus Christ offered them opportunity to be connected with grace. Man does not have to be under the curse of law any longer. Indeed, Jesus Christ is grace and truth personified! He said unto the doubting Thomas: *“I am the way, the truth and the life: no man cometh unto the Father, but by me”* (Jn. 14:6). Do you know Him in person? The fulfilment of the promise of the Holy Spirit came to pass after Jesus Christ returned to His Father. Hence, the status of His presence with man changed to God in us. The presence of the Holy Spirit in the lives of the early Apostles made a whole lot of difference in their ministry. The Holy Spirit worked the miraculous through the Apostles of old. The handkerchief of Paul healed the sick and delivered the oppressed (Acts 19:12). The shadow of Peter healed the sick laid on the streets (Acts 5:15). In our contemporary times, the dimension of manifestation of God’s presence is through the agency of the Holy Spirit. You cannot enjoy God without having the presence of the Holy Spirit in you. You must live in holiness, if you want the Holy Spirit to dwell in you. God bless you.
Congratulations for making it to the last month of the year. Happy New Month! SHALOM.
