Our Stories
Getting Lost In The Presence of God
By Doug Humphreys | posted 05/27/2010
Early in January, Keith Ferrin came up to me and said, "Hey Dude." (I know, it sounds like him, right?) Anyway, he continued, "I'm thinking of asking some guys to join me in reading the Bible through in four months, you want in?" My first thought was not "yes." My first thought was not "what a fantastic opportunity to spend more time in God's word." My first thought was "no." "No, I don't want to do that." "No, I don't have the time."
I know what you are thinking, "Doug, you're the pastor, you're paid to read the Bible and pray. This should be a no-brainer for you." Well, think again. When Keith asked others, several said yes. Suddenly there was a group of folks at Creekside committed to read the Bible cover to cover in 120 days. You think peer pressure ends when you graduate high school? Well, it doesn't. "Yes," I told Keith, "I'd love to do it."
86 days later I was finished. (No, I didn't quit early.) I had finished the Bible - cover to cover - in less than three months! I was not the first to finish, either. Everybody who accepted the challenge finished in less than four months. And here's the kicker – everybody found it to be an easy, fun, relaxing and amazing experience. We all finished early without trying to finish early. Each of us discovered that as we entered into God's presence through the Bible, we became lost in His redemptive story and simply could not put it down. In the presence of God, time seemed to speed up and we were done before we knew it. Each of us spent about an hour a day reading the Bible, and yet seemed to have just as much time left in the day.
Creekside just finished our Spring 24-Hour Time of Prayer. It was beautiful. Candles and the sound of flowing water, comfortable couches and pillows, postings of Scripture reminding us of God's flowing and renewing love, people getting lost in the presence of God. People signed up for one- or two-hour blocks throughout the night and into the following evening. Those who came anxious, "I don't know how I can pray, or even sit still for a whole hour," left amazed, "the time just flew by ... I wish I would have signed up for a longer block ... I wish we could do this every week." In the presence of God, time seemed to speed up and it was done before we knew it.
That is the way it is with entering the presence of God. When I consider long periods of time alone with God I feel intimidated. When I actually enter into those times, I feel refreshed and alive. When I feel overwhelmed and lost in the busyness of life, it seems as if I have no time to break away. When I actually do, I find that God redeems the time and then some.
God's economy is an upside-down economy. As I cast aside the voices that try to persuade me of my lack of time or ability for longer periods with God, I become lost in His presence only to find that in my lostness He gives both the time and the ability that I thought I did not have.
Doug can be reached via email here.
