I recently listened to an old audio message given by AW Tozer quite a few years ago.  His message was about  the Omnipresence of God.  He said that we often pray for God’s presence in a particular place, or ask for God to be near us, etc.  The fact is God is always near.  Then why do we so often FEEL he is distant. Tozer said it is because God can only commune with that which is of His nature. 

God created us in His image.  In 2 Peter 1:4 it says, we are partakers of His divine nature.  It is that image and that nature with which God can have fellowship and communion with.  When we act independent of His nature and image, that is when we FEEL distant from Him.  He has not left, He is still with us, but because we are not acting in accordance to the image of which we were created, God’s nature cannot have fellowship with flesh! 

Robin and I just started reading the book “Practicing the Presence of God” together this morning.   It’s interesting how Tozer’s comments here agree with what Brother Lawrence was living out so many years ago.  Here are a few thoughts from the first “conversation.”

Brother Lawrence insisted that, to be constantly aware of God's presence, it is necessary to form the habit of continually talking with Him throughout each day.

The dear brother remarked that we must give ourselves totally to God in both temporal and spiritual affairs. Our only happiness should come from doing God's will, whether it brings us some pain or great pleasure.

To succeed in giving ourselves to God as much as He desires, we must constantly guard our souls. In addition to being involved in spiritual matters, the soul is involved in the things of this world. However, when we turn our backs on Him, exposing our souls to the world, He will not so easily answer our call. When we are willing to accept God's help and guard our souls according to His desires, we may commune with Him whenever we like.

Isn’t that interesting.  “When we turn our backs on him and expose ourselves to the world…” communion is difficult.  That’s exactly what Tozer was saying. Because it is only His nature and image within us that can commune with God, when we are living in the flesh and following after the things of the world, commune with Him is going to be stunted.  On the other hand, when we seek after godliness as defined by JF Strombeck a number of emails ago (Only that which takes God into account vs. ungodliness being; Anything that God cannot bless… anything not according to God’s nature and image), we may commune with Him whenever we want.” 

So, all that to say that even the very basic exercise of fellowship and communion with God requires an attitude of Not I But Christ.  It’s His life within us, and the nature and image of God within us that allows us to fellowship and commune with God.  Let’s continue to foster and cultivate the attitude and perspective of “Not I that lives, but Christ who lives in me.!” Let’s pray for each other as we continue to walk along in this journey.

David Watters