Must Be Present to Win
By Shauna Leis
“God is our refuge and strength, an ever-present help in trouble.”
Psalm 46:1
How many times have you signed up for a prize giveaway at some store, only to notice at the bottom those small words in a disclaimer – “Must be present to win”? We groan and know that we will likely not be back there for the grand prize drawing, unless there is something extraordinary at stake. There is something to be said about being there in person – and it might even win you a prize in the end. But, how many of us have thought about this term in our own lives?
Unfortunately, my current sales consulting job requires me to be away from my family many times throughout the year. There are so many times that I want to be there in person with my family instead of just talking with them on the phone. Oh, of course I call them every day that I am away, and I hear all of their stories while I am gone. And we spend lots of time together when I come home, good quality time. However, please do not ever let anyone mislead you that quality can make up for quantity. Quality of time spent together is very important, but quantity can quickly extinguish any affect that the quality had when it is not enough. There is nothing like hearing your 4 year-old saying, “Mommy, I want you to come home today,” knowing full well that it will be two more days before I am able to come home to my family.
God, too, knows that there is a lot to be said for a physical presence. In 1 Kings 18, Elijah quickly determined that God was sending him back into the presence of two of his fiercest enemies – Ahab and Jezebel. Verse 1 says, “After a long time, in the third year, the word of the LORD came to Elijah: ‘Go and present yourself to Ahab, and I will send rain on the land.’” Jezebel and Ahab were responsible for the annihilation of nearly all of God’s prophets up until this time. The only way that Elijah had escaped had been to hide himself away in a ravine and let the ravens of the air bring him food.
Now obviously if Elijah was being fed by the birds of the air, there was an Almighty God at work in his life still. He was surely fearful for his life and did not willingly go back in front of this terrifying duo, but he knew the alternative in turning down God’s command so he went. In going, Elijah was part of one of the most amazing stories in Old Testament Scripture. There was a competition between Elijah and the prophets of Baal upon his return to determine whose god was truly the best. Baal’s prophets cut themselves and screamed for their god to come and present himself through setting the sacrifice on fire.
Elijah very calmly poured water over his sacrifice until the water was running off and filling up a trench surrounding the altar. One simple, but powerful, prayer on Elijah’s part to the Almighty God of the Universe erupted fire from heaven that consumed not just the sacrifice, but also the altar and water in the surrounding trenches. What was Elijah’s prayer? “O LORD, God of Abraham, Isaac and Israel, let it be known today that you are God in Israel and that I am your servant and have done all these things at your command. Answer me, O LORD, answer me, so these people will know that you, O LORD, are God, and that you are turning their hearts back again.” Elijah asked God in effect to “show” Himself so the people would once again know who He was and that He was still in control.
Thankfully, God did not stop in the Old Testament with desiring a presence with His people. He so longed to be with His people that He sent Jesus, His one and only Son, to dwell among us. Jesus became Immanuel, or “God with us” (Matthew 1:23). God desired a physical presence with us that could only be accomplished through the sacrifice of Jesus on the cross. Until that time, sinful people were forever separated from a righteous God. Jesus, through His dying for our sins, forever bridged the gap between us and such a Holy God.
After Jesus was taken up into the sky, He sent the Holy Spirit to remain with the people for all times. Acts 2:4 says, “All of them were filled with the Holy Spirit and began to speak in other tongues as the Spirit enabled them.” The Holy Spirit inhabits us even today when we welcome Jesus to be our Savior and Lord over our lives. He becomes our Guide and our Comforter. He takes up residence with us, and His presence will never leave us for as long as we live. Eventually, in Jude 1:24-25 we get to be with God. “To him who is able to keep you from falling and to present you before his glorious presence without fault and with great joy – to the only God our Savior be glory, majesty, power and authority, through Jesus Christ our Lord, before all ages, now and forevermore! Amen.”
I don’t know about you, but I long to be in the presence of the Almighty God of the Universe one day at the completion of my journey. However, along the way, I want to truly be “present to win” in all of the situations that God has designed for my life.
Pray with me: Precious God, Lord, we so long to be with You in heaven. But, we also know that there are situations that You have designed for us along the way for whatever reason – to bless others such as our families, to grow us spiritually, to teach us dependence on God – Lord, whatever the reason, we draw close to You and Your presence. Show us Your way, God. God, we love You so very much and pray all of this in the name above all names, Jesus Christ! Amen.