Sa dami ng ating pinagkaka abalahan, minsan madaling makalimot sa Lord. We become so busy that we forget if the Lord is still with us.

Naalala ko sa Bible sina Mary and Joseph in the book of Luke chapter two. After the Passover was finished, they headed back home and thought that the 12-year old Jesus was with them. Now here’s the interesting part. Mary and Joseph had traveled a day’s journey already before they realized that Jesus wasn’t with them and then it took three days to find Him. Imagine, three days! Ang mensahe dito ay napakadaling mawala yung “special presence” of God kesa hanapin natin upang maibalik natin iyon kase nawala natin.

May kasabihan sa aming lugar na gaano man daw kabait ng aso, ngunit kung palagi mo ito sinasaktan at sinisipa, may araw na hindi na ito muling lalapit sa iyo. Ganoon din ang presensya ng Lord.  The book of John chapter fifteen is clear:

Remain in me, and I will remain in you. For a branch cannot produce fruit if it is severed from the vine, and you cannot be fruitful unless you remain in me.

Ang tanging kailangan ng Lord sa atin ay ang ating pagsunod sa Kanyang mga utos: Jesus said: “If you love me, you will keep my word. We need simple obedience so God remains in us. When we do, we make God feels at home within our hearts.

Judges 16:20 “He Did Not Know The LORD Had Left Him”

There was a story in Judges chapter sixteen verse twenty that Samson did not know the Lord had left him. The Lord did leave Samson, but only in the sense that he withdrew his supernatural empowering from him; and when Samson prayed “O Sovereign LORD, remember me. O God, please strengthen me just once more,” (Judges 16.28), his strength returned.

Kapag naramdaman natin na parang wala ang presensya ng Diyos, start asking yourself if there is anything to need to sort out. Are you doing everything God wants? Are you still connected with God or are you talking on the “other line”? Is He still on the driving seat of your life? The Lord wants us to renew our communication or relationship with Him. Let’s not forget God.

I remember Moses said to God, “If your presence is not going [with us], don’t make us leave this place.” -Exodus 33:15 (God’s Word Translation). Ganoon din sana tayo, wag tayong umalis sa ating bahay ng walang basbas na mula sa Lord. Let Him guide your steps daily.

Kaya noon mapapansin lagi nilang dala ang Ark of Covenant. That Ark symbolizes that the presence of the Lord is with us. The birth of baby Jesus said to that effect: “She [Mary] will give birth to a son, and they will call him Immanuel, which means ‘God is with us.'” Was it because God the Father knew that the world was filled with so ‘busyness’ that He needed His only and begotten Son so He could be with us?

Once you found Him, don’t allow anything for His presence leave. Let’s not forget God today. Take Him with you so He crowns your effort with success.