The Imprint Of Presence

My husband has a habit of randomly belting out the Star Spangled Banner as he’s walking through the house. Or the yard. Or Home Depot. It’s just a weird little thing he does that we’ve become accustomed to— my husband walking outside to feed the dogs singing in a loud, baritone voice, “Ohhhhh, say can you seeeeee by the dawn’s ear-lyyyy liiiiiiight...”

Today, as I was cooking supper, my two youngest were downstairs playing and I heard my little five year-old’s voice from the living room, “Ohhhh, say can you seeeee by the dawn’s ear-lyyyyy liiiiiight....” For no reason at all, she just randomly started singing our national anthem. She did this because it’s something she learned from her dad. She spends so much time in her father’s presence, that his behavior has affected her behavior. There are times where she can choose to imitate her father’s behavior and times when she does it without even thinking about it, because it has become so ingrained in her daily experience.

 
This is a lot like what happens to us when we pursue daily intimacy with Jesus Christ. His Spirit teaches us what is good and what is bad. He teaches us how to rightly understand the truths we are given in Scripture. Just being in His presence through His word and prayer, begins to affect and transform the way we think and act. Just like my daughter’s behavior is affected by both the presence and actions of her father, we too are affected by both the presence and words of Jesus Christ.
If my husband were not an integral part of my daughter’s life, he would have very little influence upon her behavior. My daughter’s behavior would not be impacted by her father if she simply thought about him or talked about him. It is only because she is around him on a regular basis, that he has imprinted himself upon her to any degree.

This is the kind of relationship that Christ wants to have with each one of us. You can get to know someone to a certain degree by writing letters back and forth, but there is a level of “knowing” someone that can only be reached by being around them— by getting to know them through being in their presence. May we endeavor to know our Savior in this way, because it is our relationship with Him by which all others are measured.

 
(John 14:6,7) Jesus answered, “I am the way and the truth and the life. No one comes to the Father except through Me. If you had known Me, you would know My Father as well. From now on you do know Him and have seen Him.”

(Psalm 139:1-4) O Lord, You have searched me and known me. You know when I sit and when I rise; You understand my thoughts from afar. You search out my path and my lying down and are acquainted with all my ways. Even before a word is on my tongue, You know all about it, O Lord.

 
(John 14:26) But the Helper, the Holy Spirit, whom the Father will send in My name, He will teach you all things and will bring to your remembrance all things that I have said to you.

(Matt 7:21-23) Not everyone who says to Me, “Lord, Lord,” will enter the kingdom of heaven, but only he who does the will of My Father in heaven. Many will say to Me on that day, “Lord, Lord, did we not prophesy in Your name, and in Your name drive out demons and perform many miracles?” Then I will tell them plainly, “I never knew you; depart from Me, you workers of lawlessness!”