There’s something about the rain that can remind of us his presence.
There’s a peace that comes in the quiet of it.
The rain brings a hush, a stillness.
A whispered reminder of contentment.
If you didn’t stop to see it or listen to hear it, you might miss it.
But it’s there, falling gently-every drop sent to nurture, to quench, to satisfy.
Without the rain, there is no growth.
Life cannot be sustained without it.
Sometimes we want to rush the rain. We’re too busy. We don’t have time.
Not so with nature. Nature never rushes. It remains.
Nature waits to absorb every nutrient the rain will bring.
Somehow nature trusts the rain and its goodness.
Like the rain brings the nutrients to nature,
His presence brings the nurturing our souls long for.
Every drop of his presence is meant to sustain us.
There is no substitute that can satisfy.
Don't rush the rain. Be still.
Trust his timeliness and rest in his goodness.
There is beauty in his perfect provision.
His presence is life.
Do any of the worthless idols of the nations bring rain?
Do the skies themselves send down showers?
No. It is you, O Lord our God.
Therefore our hope is in you,
for you are the one who does all this.
Jeremiah 14:22
May He come down like rain upon the mown grass,
like showers that water the earth!
Psalm 72:6
One morning last week, I was watching and listening to the rain gently falling
and it reminded me of God’s presence. While there are certainly times that we feel God’s presence, there are also times when we have to stop and remind ourselves that we can also KNOW his presence.
Encountering God’s presence isn’t just an experience. Experiences are not bad things, but they
generally come with expectations that are often tied to emotion and circumstance.
For this reason, experiences can become misleading if we aren't careful.
His presence is not confined to a particular church building or service. It is not dependent on a certain worship song, sermon or prayer.
Biblically centered worship reminds us that his truth stands secure whether we feel it or not.
The truth and promises of his word are not dependent on our circumstance or location.
His truth remains long after feelings and emotions fade.
His presence is something to KNOW. (Joshua 1:9; Isaiah 43:1-3; Matthew 28:20)
As a Christ follower, you can be assured of his presence because he lives within you.
He is always with us, so he is everywhere we are.
Knowing that can change everything!
At Five Oaks, our services are Biblically-centered. Each service is formed around specific movements that prepare our hearts to listen and respond to God’s word, so that we can live our lives on mission by bringing the story of God to life. These movements translate to our every day lives and equip us to find our place in God’s story as we seek to worship him with our whole lives by learning to be disciples who make disciples.
-Aimee Thornton
Worship Team