Carrying His Presence

In a world that often prioritizes speed, efficiency, and convenience, there's a stirring call for those who are willing to slow down, dig deep, and commit themselves wholly to building a dwelling place for God's presence. Creating "thin places" where heaven and earth kiss, where the divide between the spiritual and physical realms becomes almost imperceptible.

The journey to becoming a house for God's presence is both deeply personal and powerfully collective. It's a path marked by hardship, consecration, and an unwavering commitment to prioritize God above all else. This journey draws inspiration from the heart of King David, a man after God's own heart, whose passion for God's presence shaped his entire life and legacy.

Remembering the Hardships

The road to revival and spiritual awakening is rarely smooth. It's often paved with challenges, setbacks, and moments of deep despair. Yet, these hardships aren't meant to break us; they're meant to birth something profound within us – a vow, a promise, a commitment to God that transcends our circumstances.

King David's life was marked by numerous trials: rejection from his own father, jealousy and persecution from King Saul, family tragedies, and constant warfare. Yet, through it all, his desire to build a dwelling place for God never wavered. In our own lives and communities, we're called to remember the hardships we've faced – not to dwell in them, but to recognize how God has been faithful through them all, and how they've shaped our hunger for His presence.

The Vow: A Heart Set on God's Presence

Out of the crucible of hardship, David made a powerful vow:

"I will not enter my house or get into my bed. I will not give sleep to my eyes or slumber to my eyelids until I find a place for the Lord, a dwelling place for the mighty one of Jacob." (Psalm 132:3-5)

This vow represents a heart wholly devoted to God, willing to prioritize His presence above personal comfort, sleep, or any other pursuit. It's a challenge to each of us: what are we willing to sacrifice to see God's presence manifested in our lives and communities? Are we content with casual Christianity, or are we hungry for more – so hungry that we're willing to lose sleep, to push past comfort zones, to rearrange our priorities radically?

The call is clear: no goal should be greater than building a house for Him. Not how many freedoms we can exercise, but how close to God we can get. Not how much we can avoid each other, but how deeply we can connect in pursuit of His presence.

God's Protocol: Carrying vs. Carting

As we pursue God's presence, we must remember that He has established protocols for how we approach Him. The story of David bringing the Ark of the Covenant to Jerusalem illustrates this powerfully. Initially, David attempted to transport the Ark on a cart – a method that seemed efficient and practical, but was contrary to God's instructions. This led to tragedy when Uzzah touched the Ark to steady it and was struck dead.

This serves as a stark reminder: we cannot "cart" what God has called us to carry. In our modern context, it's tempting to rely on our "carts" – our efficient systems, our polished programs, our carefully curated experiences. But true revival, true encounter with God's presence, cannot be manufactured or streamlined. It requires the patient, careful, reverent "carrying" of His presence according to His ways.

When David finally brought the Ark to Jerusalem successfully, he did so by having the priests carry it properly, stopping every six steps to offer sacrifices. What could have been a quick journey became a days-long procession of worship and sacrifice. This is the model we're called to follow – not rushing into God's presence, but approaching with reverence, sacrifice, and a willingness to take the time necessary to encounter Him deeply.

Building a Personal and Corporate House for God

The call to be a dwelling place for God is both individual and collective. As individuals, we're reminded that our bodies are temples of the Holy Spirit. This should radically inform how we live, what we expose ourselves to, and how we treat ourselves and others. We're carrying God's presence wherever we go!

Corporately, we're called to devote ourselves to the apostles' teaching, to prayer, to breaking bread together, and to deep fellowship. The early church wasn't content with casual, infrequent gatherings. They were devoted to being together, to seeking God together, to building a community where His presence could dwell powerfully.

This corporate pursuit of God's presence isn't about how much religious activity we can pack into a week. It's about cultivating a genuine hunger for God that makes us long to be together, to pray together, to worship together – not out of obligation, but out of a deep love for God and for each other.

The Road to Revival

True revival – a return of something long absent from the stage – is marked not by frenetic activity or emotional hype, but by personal consecration, corporate hunger, and a willingness to pursue God's presence according to His ways. It's about purity, faithfulness, and carrying His presence with reverence and joy.

As we pursue revival, let's remember:

1. Hardships can birth holy vows and deeper hunger for God.
2. Our greatest goal should be building a dwelling place for God's presence.
3. We must follow God's protocols, carrying His presence carefully rather than carting it efficiently.
4. Both personal and corporate consecration are essential.
5. True revival is marked by hunger, purity, and a willingness to do things God's way, even when it's slower or more difficult.

May we be a people who are no longer content with quick encounters or efficient religious experiences. Instead, let's commit ourselves to the patient, reverent, joyful work of carrying God's presence – in our individual lives and in our communities. As we do, we may find ourselves part of a great revival, a return to the stage of something so powerful and authentic that it transforms everything it touches.