The Presence Of God Makes the Difference

Years ago a friend took me to see a small band in a second story venue in Birmingham. The ceilings were low, the room was packed, and when the drummer counted off, the whole floor began to move. I had heard the album, but being in the room was different. The sound went through you, and the memory stayed with you. Recently I shared with Oasis Church that our faith works the same way. Reading about God matters, but encountering His presence is what changes a person.

In Exodus 33 Moses prays a brave prayer. He tells the Lord, if Your presence does not go with us, do not send us from here. He asks to know God’s ways so he can lead well. He asks to see God’s glory. God answers with a promise: My presence will go with you, and I will give you rest. When Moses comes down the mountain, his face shines because he has been with God, and people notice. Presence is what makes God’s people distinct, then and now.

That claim can feel controversial in North America. Some want church to be mostly ideas and rules. Others chase feelings and call it spirituality. Scripture offers a better way. The presence of God is not a trend and not a mood. It is the living God meeting His people and forming them into His likeness. When the Spirit is at work, He marks us. He convicts sin, heals wounds, and grows love that shows up on ordinary Tuesdays.

We can also admit our cultural temptations. Comfort and success can train us to settle for a polite faith that never needs power. On the other side, nostalgia can tempt us to manufacture moments and call them holy. Neither path leads to life. The answer is simple and sturdy: seek the real presence of Jesus and let Him set the tone. The proof will be in the fruit. If I can sing with tears and then gossip in the lobby, I had a feeling, not formation. When I leave worship slower to speak, quicker to forgive, and eager to obey, the Lord has been at work.

So what can we do this week in Ulysses. First, make space for God. Read Exodus 33 and ask the Lord for His presence and His rest. Pray, show me Your ways. Second, gather with expectation. Come to worship ready to sing, to listen, and to respond. Third, test experiences by their fruit. Ask, is this making me more like Jesus in speech, in purity, in generosity, in courage. Fourth, keep your life open to correction. Invite mature believers to speak truth with grace, and receive it.

The good news is steady. In Jesus, God is not far off. He delights to dwell with His people. He still leads by His Spirit, still marks lives with joy and holiness, and still turns ordinary rooms into places where hope rises. Arrange your week for His presence, and you will find what Moses found. Rest for your soul, courage for your calling, and a light that others cannot help but see. .

Andy McMillan is the pastor at Oasis Church in Ulysses.