By Megan Blansit, Faith Contributor

Hi friends! Happy New Year! I am very happy to be writing another article and want to share a store with you. Recently, when I was feeding my two outside dogs, the Holy Spirit started speaking to me. As soon as I walk out the back door with food my dogs get super excited and one even tears off running in circles, almost doing back flips. One appears to be ecstatic about seeing me, when really, what I realized is that the food in my hands is what she desires the most. Interestingly enough,  once the food is in her bowl she is no longer giving me any attention. I even kneel and pet her while she eats and she continues to look down and eat her food as if she hasn’t eaten in weeks and as if I am not there. Her mind is consumed with something else. What seemed to be excitement over my presence turns out to be just excitement over “presents.” Are you following me?

Think about your relationship with Christ. Do you get excited about experiencing the presence of the Lord or do you just seek his “presents?” I’ve also heard a pastor say, “Do you seek his face or his hand?” Do we serve the Lord because he is a good gift giver or do we simply enjoy being in a relationship with him and love him for who he is- The King of Kings, the one who took a beating that we should have taken, the Savior who never goes off duty because his love for us is just so fierce. He doesn’t have to do these things. No one makes him. Please grasp hold of this. The Lord desires you, he longs for you to get in his presence.

Can we still say the Lord is good if he doesn’t give us another “present”? Is being in his presence enough? He paid the ultimate price to have a relationship with you, yet many do not choose him back. I promise you there is no sweeter place than sitting at the feet of Jesus. In his presence there is joy unexplainable, peace indescribable. I can be in what seems like the biggest storm in my life, but if I can just get in his presence and place it at his feet I am renewed. These are the best presents. These are what keep me going.

I challenge you to seek his presence today over his presents. Seek his face, not his hand. How would our life be different if we were like the woman with the issue of blood and sought after touching his garment? Some of you may be reading this and desire his presence but are unsure how to get there. Friend, there isn’t a secret formula, there isn’t a certain prayer or place you have to be. Some of the best moments I have with the Lord are in my car. It’s as simple as just inviting him to where you are and speaking to him like you do a friend. I mean, that’s what he is supposed to be anyway, correct?
To finish my story about my dogs, as I mentioned one just gets excited about the food, but the other does not care anything about the food and even follows me back to the door. He wants to be right next to me and if I go inside he stares in the back door. Jesus wants us to be this way. He wants us to seek his face and wait for him if he does not “come on time”. I pray that you would seek his presence today. In his presence chains are broken, chains are undone, healings are made, and the list goes on and on. I promise you don’t want to miss out on his presence. As always, thank you for reading. I hope you have a blessed week!