Kingdom Math
by Jonathan Moore. Ahavat Yeshua, Jerusalem
Psalm 16:11 says, “In Your presence is fullness of joy!”
These are tough times in Israel. Our hearts are often heavy, not joyful. The days seem dark, reminding us of Isaiah 60:2, “…darkness covers the earth, and deep darkness the peoples.”
But the verses before and after say, “Arise, shine, for your light has come! The glory of the LORD has risen on you. For behold, darkness covers the earth, and deep darkness the peoples. But the LORD will arise upon you, and His glory will appear over you. Nations will come to your light, kings to the brilliance of your rising.”
We are built for “presence.” We are each created in the image of God, designed to walk with Him in daily life. Only after sin and disobedience appeared, did we get cut off from that constant fellowship. Ever since that day, God has been trying to reconnect with us. He has brought His presence closer and closer. He put His spirit on Bezalel for the purpose of building the Tabernacle. He put His spirit into people like Elijah and Elisha. He placed his abiding presence in the Temple. As amazing as this was, it STILL wasn’t enough. God isn’t just interested in being present, He wants presence with relationship.
Can you imagine how insane it must have sounded to the disciples when Yeshua said, “It is better that I go away so I can send the comforter!” After walking with Yeshua for more than three years, could anything be better? Better than God-made-flesh touching our hearts, minds, and even bodies? But Yeshua DID say it is better that He go, in order to send the Holy Spirit. Because this is what we were made for – to house His presence. To be reconnected at the deepest level and commune with God day and night all the time until the end of time. Our proper state, which returns in the New Jerusalem, is full intimacy with God where we know Him in full just as we are fully known today by Him.
You were created for presence with God. The presence of God is His greatest gift. Your presence is your greatest gift. Congregations were created for the presence of God… and the presence of one another. When you meet together, it isn’t just a way to convey a teaching to many at once, it is gifting one another with our presence, as creatures made in His image, filled with Him, each reflecting a unique spectrum of His light.
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