Grace NoTes // His Presence - Week 2
Written by Keli Miller
The space between you and me
God is a God of harmony. It is a part of who he is and he cannot be separated from himself. Where harmony is- He is. Where He is so will be unity. Before we were made the Triune God was united together living in perfect harmony.
If this is all true, if relational harmony can usher in the presence of God than the opposite is also true. When we run wild with discord, hate, and unforgiveness we usher in the presence of darkness.
“The opportunity for heaven and the opportunity for hell exists in the
space between you and me.” -Chris Moerman
Our horizontal relationships are more than just about being nice and polite but rather through them is the opportunity to unlock the presence of God. This isn’t just about being polite and making “nice”. This is about bringing Heaven to Earth.
Seeking harmony in our relationships is not always a walk in the park. We love each other imperfectly and because of that, we experience brokenness in our relationships. I have had to work and live with some really difficult people. And they had to work with me! Sometimes it was just annoying to have to share space with them and other times it was really heartbreaking and hurtful. Whichever it was, I have seen God transform my perspective and heart through two key disciplines:
Committing to prayer
Committing to kindness
To commit to prayer means to commit to praying for my “enemies”. A dear friend of mine once compared the discipline of prayer to the discipline of tithing, saying that it has the power to “loosen the purse strings of our heart.” She challenged me to give 10% of my prayers to this difficult relationship and situation. And you know what? As the prayers flowed from me to God, God’s presence came and with it brought harmony and healing. Suddenly I was given a new perspective and capacity to extend grace and even respect. Hurt was still there, but healing was happening.
Committing to kindness becomes easier as you commit to prayer. Honestly, more days than not this discipline looks like just being quiet. Our words are so powerful. How we talk to each other and how we talk about each other can either usher in God’s presence or more brokenness. Our words change perspectives - both ours and others. I quickly found by committing to stop venting about the difficult people to anyone with ears, my heart began to soften and the lens that I viewed them with began to change. I don’t do this perfectly, and I’m still learning, but I have seen God’s presence change circumstances even still.
Processing Questions
Who in your life should you begin praying for?
What would you like to see God change in your relationships?
In the word
John 17:20-23
Matthew 5: 21-26, 43-48
Galatians 5