In the Secret of His Presence

In the excitement and chaos of ministry these days I don't seem to have much time for anything.  In all honesty, I've been eating cereal for days now because I haven't had the time or energy to go get groceries.  Nice and healthy, I know.  There's so much going on that it's overwhelming at times.

But do you want to know what's really exciting?  Getting to spend time with Jesus!  I know... I just got done saying how I don't even have time to buy food and it's true, I don't.  All I want to do is hang out with the King of Kings.  It seems like no matter where I am or what I'm doing, my only desire is to be with Him.  It's a lovely place to be and I'm sure many of you experience the same thing quite often.  

But what's different about it for me right now is that He keeps providing me with these little get-aways.  Little slices of heaven, as I've been calling them.  And I'm trying to hang on to each encounter.  It started with a drive home from the shore last month.  It was youth group beach day, but I had other commitments that required me to be back here by 6pm.  The kids weren't quite ready to leave, so the other adults had just enough spaces for everyone to stay an extra hour and for me to go.  When I got in my car I sensed that God was asking for my full attention.  I spent the next hour or so just talking, singing, and listening to God.  It was so refreshing.  But that wasn't enough.  A few nights later an hour walk in the pouring rain was on the schedule and it was amazingly peaceful... seeing as though I was the only one out in that weather.  

Then last week I experienced defeat like I hadn't in a long while.  My sermon flopped.  It didn't flow well which flustered me and I had already messed up playing piano on a couple of songs.  It was the definition of an "off" day.  I left the sanctuary feeling completely embarrassed and like a failure.  I had prepared it just didn't go over well in my opinion.  I tried to shake it off, but I just couldn't.  The next morning I was scheduled to teach our adult Sunday school class.  I was excited about my lesson, but feeling nervous because of the night before.  The lesson went very well, but I still couldn't get that "failed sermon" out of my mind.  (Yes, I'm very aware that I need to work on that.)  

Sunday night my church was the host of a camp meeting which means our senior pastor was scheduled to preach and our worship team was to lead music.  By the time Sunday evening rolled around, I was exhausted.  (I've heard it said that preaching a sermon is like the equivalent of working a 40 hour week in an hour and I never believed it until I started preaching every week.)  I dragged myself to the camp meeting in a bit of a fowl mood.  I just wanted to go to sleep.  As I walked up to the tabernacle, I started to feel my mood shift... slowly.  I was greeted happily by my friend and his kids and I just couldn't muster up the energy to reciprocate appropriately.  Then we started to run through some songs.  It was then that everything changed.  The Spirit was VERY present and I began to anticipate how awesome the choirs of angels were going to sound as they sang with us.  It was an amazing time of worship, a great sermon, and a new word from the Lord from a familiar scripture.  How great is our God??  

The next day, I was invited to drive up to North Jersey to hang out with my friend and his family.  I went back and forth about whether or not to make the drive, but I'm SO glad I did!  First of all, I love driving, so two hours one way is nothing.  Second, it turned into one of the most relaxing days of my entire summer.  I got to meet family members I had never met and relax by the lake with others I had... a very sweet time of hearing some absolutely amazing stories of a very long life lived and well traveled.  On top of that, I was able to get to know some of the family a bit better... which I love because as you know, building relationships is my thing.  What a blessing.  Not only that, but in the morning I kind of snuck off to sit down by the lake to hang out with Jesus while everyone else was still asleep.  The beauty of His creation was overwhelming and it was lovely to be wrapped up in His arms, surrounded by His presence.  Seriously, it's absolutely gorgeous up there.  

Right??

And to top it all off, his mom is an extremely talented musician so I asked her to play piano for me... which she did (even though she hadn't played for weeks as she had been traveling).  It was lovely and very worshipful.  I was so encouraged too, because she claimed that she hadn't played very well (though I disagree), but that she knew it was for God so it didn't really matter.  (I had been struggling with my lack of ability to play the piano since my "off" day that previous Saturday.)  So grateful for sweet gifts from Jesus at just the right time.

My prayer is that He keeps providing me with these little times away with Him.  He is seeing me through and I'm basking in His presence.  It's an exciting time in ministry and I'm so ready for a set schedule with school and youth group starting back up.  There's much to look forward to with my kids this year and I can't wait to see what God does in their lives (hearts).

Here's a hymn I found this week... In the Secret of His Presence:

In the secret of His presence how my soul delights to hide!

Oh, how precious are the lessons which I learn at Jesus’ side!

Earthly cares can never vex me, neither trials lay me low;

For when Satan comes to tempt me, to the secret place I go,

To the secret place I go.

When my soul is faint and thirsty, ’neath the shadow of His wing

There is cool and pleasant shelter, and a fresh and crystal spring;

And my Savior rests beside me, as we hold communion sweet:

If I tried, I could not utter what He says when thus we meet,

What He says when thus we meet.

Only this I know: I tell Him all my doubts, my griefs and fears;

Oh, how patiently He listens! and my drooping soul He cheers:

Do you think He ne’er reproves me? What a false Friend He would be,

If He never, never told me of the sins which He must see,

Of the sins which He must see.

Would you like to know the sweetness of the secret of the Lord?

Go and hide beneath His shadow: this shall then be your reward;

And whene’er you leave the silence of that happy meeting place,

You must mind and bear the image of the Master in your face,

Of the Master in your face.

Here is a video of some random dude playing/singing it.  Good stuff.

Here's to sneaking off to hang out with Jesus every chance I get!