It's very late at night to write but I am so happy to writing again I couldn't wait until morning. Maybe I could have, but once I feel the writing starts in my mind, I know better to assume it'll still be there hours later.
You know what amazes me? It's how everything one needs is in the Presence of God. Everything.
There isn't one other place on earth where you can get everything you need.
I did my grocery shopping today. Even if I go to a store like Walmart I can't get everything I need. One grocery store has the cut-up fruit my kids like, one store has the paper towels I want, one store has the corn tortillas in the big bag...there isn't one store that has everything so what I get depends on how many stops I have the energy to make.
But His Presence has it all. If there's one thing a child of God needs to know how to do is to get in His Presence and stay awhile because it changes everything. Sometimes I forget. I talk to Him all day long, but there's a difference between a text, an email, a phone call, and a dinner. They're all communication but different levels of attention, even intimacy.
It makes me think of Psalm 91.
He who dwells in the secret place of the Most High
Shall abide under the shadow of the Almighty.
Life's so busy. All the physical rushing around, all the mental running around, emotional running around, the past always trying to pop in and tell you something urgent but unrelated to the present...but His Presence is always available.
I don't like it when people talk about something they like and don't tell me where I can get it. You ever have that happen? Or it's impossible to get because they got it so long ago or from very far away.
So I'll tell you how I get in God's Presence.
I start by singing to Him about Him. I used to think this was strange. Why does He need people to worship Him? Sounds egotistical, I used to think. But the truth is He doesn't need anything, He's simply worthy of it. He created all things. His fingerprints and breath are in us. Our souls are crafted by His hands.
It's natural for us to worship Him. It's the truest thing we can do with our selves.
Worship is only hard when you don't believe that He is good. And it's only hard to believe He's good if you think of God as a flawed human or the author of the evil in this world or your life. Those things aren't true.
When your perception of God is healed (He can do that) and you realize how loving, patient, kind, and giving He is, you will want to sing to Him.
It's also hard or impossible to worship God if you are already worshipping something else. A fear, belief. So if I'm doing that, I start anyway and give myself time to align with the truth of the words I'm saying.
That's what how I start. Then I pray. I tell Him everything. Confess everything. Lay it all out basically. Sometimes I pray and sing at the same time.
I don't know that there's a recipe, but something begins to open up and then there's more of Him than me. Things inside me begin to shift, heal, things not for me fall off, peace descends. All the frayed ends in me are made whole. Peace.
Jesus stills all storms, He really does.
I titled this "dents" because I wanted to share something God shared with me.
We all know cars get dents when they bump into things and people are similar. With time, it's possible to accumulate quite a few dents, especially if the roads you've been on have been particularly hazardous. After awhile you can even be more dent than car.
But Jesus can pull them out and restore you. But what I've noticed, is that even when He does, the memory of the dents and how they felt are still there (but without the same sting) and you know what the purpose is?
People who had dents can talk to others with the same ones in a way no one else can. There are people you can reach, hearts you can reach because oftentimes it takes someone who knows.
Today I talked to my friend Jess on the phone, we're so close we don't call each other friends, we say twins. Our dents are exactly alike in a way that is almost eerie but not because nothing God does is spooky. He gave me a sister from a different mister with the exact same dents knowing I'd need someone who understands.
Talking to someone like that is like sitting in a hot bath. It's soothing. You don't have to finish every sentence, over-describe, repeat, plead for understanding...they just know. And how do they know? Because they've been there.
I like how God does that. He takes what was meant to harm you and makes it into something that can heal someone else. It's no surprise that the Author of the stars can do that, but it's still such an amazing thing to experience.
So if you have lots of dents or the memory of dents, know that nothing is wasted. There's someone only you can reach.
And if there's something paining you in any way, go to His Presence. I've said before that "help me God" is a whole prayer and it's true. But sometimes a dinner is needed.
Jesus said, "And lo I will be with you always, " so I know He's always here. It's actually more a matter of bringing yourself. Like tuning one's mind like a radio dial to Him. Lots of other stations are always competing- life can get so noisy- tuning to Him is an intentional thing to do.
I'm glad I did. I hope I remember to faster and just make dinners the norm rather than lunches or snacks although sometimes that's all I can manage and I know He loves me anyway.
He told me a long time ago I can have as little or as much of Him as I want and the same is true for you.
Anyway, I hope you have a great day. On this side of life, anyone has the chance to rest in Him. Take it.
love, Bunmi
Tonight I said this Psalm a lot. It's one I know by heart and it's very comforting/stilling. Maybe it will help you. I think of Jesus being my Shepherd when I say it, as He is in real life.
Psalm 23
The Lord is my shepherd; I shall not want. He makes me to lie down in green pastures; He leads me beside the still waters. He restores my soul; He leads me in the paths of righteousness For His name’s sake.
Yea, though I walk through the valley of the shadow of death, I will fear no evil; For You are with me; Your rod and Your staff, they comfort me.
You prepare a table before me in the presence of my enemies; You anoint my head with oil; My cup runs over. Surely goodness and mercy shall follow me All the days of my life; And I will dwell in the house of the Lord Forever.
Amen
I always put this here now. If you'd like to know how to have a relationship with God, here's how. It's through Jesus.