Presence Changes Us
How does our life change as we enter into God’s Presence? When we share communion, we pray that God would “Lead us out from darkness to walk as children of light”.
“Children of Light”
What does it mean to live as children of light? What are these ‘children of light’ like? How are they different to other people? In his book, “Renovation of the Heart“, Dallas Willard describes what these children of light, are like. He writes:
These people are not perfect and do not live in a perfect world – yet.
But they are remarkably different…Where the children of light differ is primarily and most importantly on the “inside” of their life. It lies in what they are in their depths.
The first way that those who spend time in God’s presence differ, is in their thought life…
“You are always on my mind!”
What do ‘children of light’; these ‘followers of Jesus’, these ‘Christians’, think about? They think about God. God is never out of their mind. Willard writes:
“They love to dwell upon God and upon his greatness and loveliness, as brought to light in Jesus Christ. They adore him in nature, in history, in His Son and in his saints. One could even say they are God-intoxicated, though no one has a stronger sense of reality and practicality than they do.”
When we think about God, we think about what Paul writes as:
whatever is true, whatever is noble, whatever is right, whatever is pure, whatever is lovely, whatever is admirable—if anything is excellent or praiseworthy. (Philippians 4:8)
Those are the things that those who are changed in his presence think about. We do not dwell upon that which is evil. Anything which works against God and His ways is no longer considered worthy of our thoughts.
We think differently.
Take some time to rest in God’s presence, bring to mind anything which is troubling you, whatever situation, relationship, incident you are repeatedly play over in your mind and let God’s presence ‘renew your mind‘. (Romans 12:2). Let Him lead you out of darkness to live as a child of the light…
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