Scripture: Exodus 33:15
And he said unto him, If thy presence go not with me, carry us not up hence.

The meditation for this month is on a subject that is very close to my heart, being a carrier of God’s presence. The Scripture that I have chosen for the text of this meditation comes from Exodus chapter 33. Prior to this time, Moses had gone up on Mt. Sinai to receive the 10 Commandments. He stayed so long that the people doubted his return and decided to replace the worship of the one true God with that of a golden calf. Their decision angered God to the point that he was going to destroy them. Had it not been for the intercession of Moses, they would have been totally wiped out. These people were like many Christians of today, they took the presence of God for granted. They did not really seem to appreciate the fact that God was protecting, watching over them, and keeping them on their journey to the land of promise. How soon they forgot His presence in their midst!

After accepting Moses’ intercession for the people, God told him that He was not going to go in their midst, but that he would send an angel before them. Moses having talked with God realized that it was His presence that they needed more than anything else, and tells God that if His presence did not go with them, he did not want to go. Of course this expression of Moses’ heart caused God to relent and once again be in their midst . God has sent His presence among the people of God today by the Holy Spirit. When Jesus ascended up to heaven, He told His disciples that He would send the Comforter to abide with them always. The Holy Spirit is God’s presence that comes to live in the hearts of all of those who receive Jesus Christ as their Savior and Lord. Because Jesus comes to live in us, it is His presence that we carry. This means that as go about our daily living, whether in our neighborhood, on our job, or wherever we go, we are to be carriers of His presence. A brief look at the Acts of the Apostles will help us to clearly understand what this means.

In Acts chapter 5 is an account of what resulted as the Apostles carried His presence. Verse 12 states, “And by the hands of the apostles were many signs and wonders wrought among the people…” God’s presence was so powerful with them that verse 15 says, “Insomuch that they brought forth the sick into the streets, and laid them on beds and couches, that at the least the shadow of Peter passing by might overshadow some of them.” Just imagine, the people were so influenced by God’s presence in them that they had faith to believe that just by the shadow of Peter they could be healed! It did not stop here because if you read the following verse (16) it is told that not just sick people but those who were demon possessed were delivered. They were truly carriers of the Presence.

Dear reader, if you are a Spirit-filled believer, I want to ask you the question, are you carrying His presence? Do people know when you enter their presence that there is something different about you? Are the sick being healed as you carrying His presence? Are the demon possessed being delivered? Do people desire to know how they can receive the Holy Spirit? You were not given His Spirit solely for your own edification. You were given His Spirit to carry His presence wherever you go and to change the atmosphere t reflect His glory. Let us cry out daily for more of Him, and the demonstration of His presence to those who do not know him by healing the sick, casting out devils, bringing many to salvation. Do not be like the children of Israel in their journey through the wilderness who did not honor God’s presence and worshiped an alien God. God alone is who we serve, and if we do so with all of our heart, we will be carriers of His presence.

Scripture Reading: Exodus 33; Acts 5:12-16