Reading for today:

Ps. 30, 32, 42, 43
Ez. 49:21-29
Phil. 4:10-20
John 17:20-26

Ezekiel 39:23
The nations will know that the house of Israel went into exile due to their iniquity, for they were unfaithful to me. So I hid my face from them and handed them over to their enemies; all of them died by the sword.

We need to understand not only the loving presence of God, but the loving withdrawal of God. We need to realize there are times where our lives are not in alignment with the covenant relationship laid out for us by our Father. There are times when he will withdraw his presence.

Here is the key: how quickly do we notice?

There are times we are so deaf to his voice, we don’t realize it. Then, something “bad” happens and we’re upset with God.

Our need is to continually cultivate his presence in our lives. The garden needs attention. Too often we allow busyness or other cultural idols snatch away our awareness of his presence.

Lord, all too often I am so full of noise I am deaf to your voice. There are times you have pulled back a bit to see if I was even paying attention. Even today, Lord, you are calling out to your church in America. Are we paying attention? Or, are we clinging to our cultural idols? In this season, let us turn and listen to your voice once again. Let us be freed from the junk that weighs us down.