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Realizing the presence, promise, and power of the Kingdom of God.
Crosfigell

With You, With Him

We're never without Him.

Treading the paths of the gospel; singing Psalms at every hour;
an end of talking and long stories; constant bending of the knees.
May my Creator visit me, my Lord, my King;
may my spirit seek him in the everlasting kingdom where he dwells.

  - Anonymous, “All Alone in My Little Cell,” Irish, 9th century[1]

“Be still, and know that I am God;
I will be exalted among the nations,
I will be exalted in the earth!”


  - Psalm 46.10

Surely it is one of the great comforts of every Christian to know that Jesus has promised to be with us always, even to the end of the age (Matt. 28.20). He never leaves us alone, never abandons us even to our stupidest choices or dumbest moves, never fails to hold on to us, no matter where we are (cf. Ps. 139.1-12). He is with us always, although we may not always be attentive to His Presence, or grateful for His constant care.

He is with us by His Word, as He upholds all creation; by His indwelling Spirit, Who works to form us into His image (2 Cor. 3.12-18); and through His continuous intercessions (Heb. 7.25). We are never out of His sight; He watches diligently over us, our Good Shepherd, Lord, Savior, and King. He will never fail us nor forsake us.

He is Immanuel, the With Us God, always, everywhere, and without fail.

The great comfort we know from practicing the Presence of Jesus with us is, however, only half the comfort the Lord intends. For the other side of the coin of knowing that He is with us where we are, is to be discovered in our being with Him where He is.

Paul says we have been seated with Christ in heavenly places, and he commands us to set our minds there, where Jesus is enthroned in glory at the right hand of God (Eph. 2.6; Col. 3.1-3). In Jesus, we enter through the veil that separates the material and spiritual worlds. We come into the Presence of the King of kings, and take a seat with Jesus. Seated with Him, we gain a new vantage point on the things of this world. Look around at the glory and beauty of that heavenly venue. Observe saints and angels, robed in white, and listen as they sing the praises of our triune God. Soak it in. Join with it. Here, in the very throne room of our King, amid saints and angels endlessly praising our God and Savior – a place filled with splendor, majesty, sweet music, heavenly smells, and glorious shouts – here we are called to seek the Lord where He is, and to be with Him there!

Now this is a demanding work of sanctified imagination. It requires that we learn to “see” with the “eyes of the heart” (Eph. 1.15-23). It’s not that heaven and the throne room of Christ aren’t real; it’s that it’s really hard for us to break free of our mundane distractions to open the eye of our heart and enter that venue, envision ourselves seated with Jesus, and look on our lives from His vantage point.

Hardly one believer in a hundred have I met who has even the remotest idea of what I’m talking about. Yet Jesus reigns in a glorified human body, in a place accessible to us by the eye of faith, the contemplation of which is a source of glory to sustain and transform us, and to fill us with unspeakable joy (Eph. 1.18; 2 Cor. 4.6; Ps. 16.11).

What is required for us to seek Him where He is? “Be still.” Gather your thoughts around the glimpses of Jesus exalted which are revealed to us in Scripture. Reflect on Him in silence; let your spirit seek Him in the everlasting Kingdom where He dwells, as you engage every glory-filled portrait in all the galleries of Scripture of this One Who, exalted in glory, cares for you where you are, and invites your fellowship with Him, where He is. Imagine yourself sinking into Him, like you might settle into a warm pool of water, until you are immersed in the beauty of holiness, and pour yourself out in grateful praise. Call to mind His many excellencies. Imagine your soul – heart, mind, conscience – being washed over with the righteousness of Christ, and your body being clothed with Him. From there, look out on the day ahead, and envision Jesus being with you in all your relationships, roles, and responsibilities.

Rest in the Presence of the Lord. Bask there. Do not be in a hurry to return from His side, for, in a very real sense, you remain there with Jesus, even when you’re not thinking about it.

We do not live in a material world only. We are citizens with the saints in the heavenly Jerusalem where Jesus dwells and reigns. And it is our privilege and duty to seek Him where He is, that we may know and enjoy Him more fully there.

For reflection
1. Have you ever practiced this discipline of being still and sinking into the Presence of Jesus in glory?

2. How might you expect to benefit from practicing the Presence of Jesus more consistently?

Psalm 16.5, 6, 11 (All to Christ: Jesus Paid It All)
My portion and my cup are You, my Savior dear;
You help and hold me up, and ever keep me near.
  Make me know life’s way! Pleasures fill Your hand;
  Fill my life with joy each day! Before Your face I stand.

Help me, Lord, to know Your Presence always, so that I…

A guide for your visit

Going to the throne room of the Lord, to be seated with Jesus? Well, you should prepare a bit, so that you’ll know the way there, as well as when you’re there, how it is appropriate to act. Our book, Be Thou My Vision, can guide you into the Presence of the Lord by means of the teaching of Scripture and the discipline of meditation. The 28 exercises in this book will help you see Jesus and show you how to get to Him and abide with Him more consistently. Order your copy by clicking here.

Tell others

Do you find Crosfigell a helpful resource? Share it with others! At the bottom of today’s edition are instructions for how you can have a copy of Crosfigell sent to your friends. Don’t just forward Crosfigell, for if your friend unsubscribes, it will be your subscription that is cancelled.

If this ministry is important to you, we ask you please to prayerfully consider becoming a supporter of The Fellowship of Ailbe. It’s easy to give to The Fellowship of Ailbe, and all gifts are, of course, tax-deductible. You can click here to donate online through credit card or PayPal, or send your gift to The Fellowship of Ailbe, 360 Zephyr Road, Williston, VT 05495.

T. M. Moore, Principal
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All Psalms for singing from The Ailbe Psalter. Scripture taken from the New King James Version. © Copyright 1982 by Thomas Nelson, Inc. Used by permission. All rights reserved.

 

[1] Davies, p. 261.

T.M. Moore

T. M. Moore is principal of The Fellowship of Ailbe, a spiritual fellowship in the Celtic Christian tradition. He and his wife, Susie, make their home in the Champlain Valley of Vermont.
Books by T. M. Moore

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