I woke with a song in my head this morning, a song we sang in church quite a while ago.   The words of the chorus say,

I just want to be where You are,
dwelling daily in Your presence
I don’t want to worship from afar,
draw me near to where You are

I just want to be where You are,
in Your dwelling place forever
Take me to the place where You are,
I just want to be with You.              (by Don Moen)

I haven’t heard that song or thought of it for such a long time but my heart rummaged around and found it in the back of my mind, then started singing without me before I even woke up.

I got up and went outside to my favorite spot on the porch and sat down.  “Here I am, Lord” I prayed again.  Immediately I heard in my heart, “I see you and already know you’re here with me, because I was with you as you slept and watched, waiting for you to wake.  I always know where you are and I’m always with you.”

I realized, as I have before (but you know how I have to be reminded things), that quiet time with God is not going somewhere to be with Him because He’s always with me, but it’s going somewhere to be with only Him.  It’s drawing myself apart from distractions and other people, saying with that action “I love you, God, and want to be with just You right now.”

My devotional echoed what God had told me, that nothing can separate me from His loving presence.  Nothing.  And, since I have absolutely no control over the things that happen in my life or in the lives of those I love, I can just trust Him and relax in His presence all throughout my day.

What greater thing do I have to be thankful for than that?!  Thank you, Papa, for your presence with me always.  Help me to remember that, to be more aware of You, to be tuned more finely to Your voice and Spirit.  Thank you for loving me.  I always just want to be where You are.

I can never escape from your Spirit!
    I can never get away from your presence!
If I go up to heaven, you are there;
    if I go down to the grave, you are there.
If I ride the wings of the morning,
    if I dwell by the farthest oceans,
 even there your hand will guide me,
    and your strength will support me….

How precious are your thoughts about me, O God.
    They cannot be numbered!
 I can’t even count them;
    they outnumber the grains of sand!
And when I wake up,
    you are still with me.   –  Psalm 139:7-10, 17-18