“After the death of Moses the servant of the Lord, the Lord said to Joshua the son of Nun, Moses’ minister,  “Moses my servant is dead; now therefore arise, go over this Jordan, you and all this people, into the land which I am giving to them, to the people of Israel.  Every place that the sole of your foot will tread upon I have given to you, as I promised to Moses.  From the wilderness and this Lebanon as far as the great river, the river Euphra′tes, all the land of the Hittites to the Great Sea toward the going down of the sun shall be your territory.  No man shall be able to stand before you all the days of your life; as I was with Moses, so I will be with you; I will not fail you or forsake you.  Be strong and of good courage; for you shall cause this people to inherit the land which I swore to their fathers to give them.  Only be strong and very courageous, being careful to do according to all the law which Moses my servant commanded you; turn not from it to the right hand or to the left, that you may have good success wherever you go.  This book of the law shall not depart out of your mouth, but you shall meditate on it day and night, that you may be careful to do according to all that is written in it; for then you shall make your way prosperous, and then you shall have good success. Have I not commanded you? Be strong and of good courage; be not frightened, neither be dismayed; for the Lord your God is with you wherever you go.” (Joshua 1:1-9 RSV)

Earlier this summer, I had the privilege of meeting and talking with a sweet lady that felt led to give me a canvas that had; until that moment, been on her kitchen wall. The canvas reads, “be strong & courageous DO NOT BE AFRAID OR DISCOURAGED FOR THE LORD YOUR GOD IS WITH YOU wherever you go Joshua 1:9.

Since this conversation and sweet gift, I have been given message after message from God of His presence. No matter where we go, no matter what we are doing, no matter who we are with; once we have accepted His free gift of Salvation, He is with us and He will not forsake us.

It’s been during my times of reflecting on God’s presence that I have been reminded of how little we can truly soak up His wonderful Holy Presence when we are rushing from here to there; from this event to that event. Where is there space to breathe Him in?

He is with us wherever we go.

Stop. Breathe in God’s sweet presence. Linger in this moment. Be strong in His embrace. Rest in this space. Take up Bold Courage that can only come from God’s Presence. Be Blessed in His Presence.