Psalms 46:10 “Be still, and know that I am God! I will be honored by every nation. I will be honored throughout the world.”

Last night, I resumed my reading of The Purpose Driven Life and I experienced one of the most (if not the most) intense physical encounters with my God that I have ever had. For the first time since the moment of my salvation, I felt truly, absolutely saved. I honestly needed it, and God renewed his covenant of love with me in that moment.

When I picked the book up, it was a victory for my soul that resulted from a battle with my flesh. I intended to tune in to the latest edition of sports news, or peruse the airways for anything that would catch my eye. I had just put the kids to bed, and the house was quiet for the first time of the evening. I wanted some time to just be quiet and absorb something until time arrived for sleep. Instead of picking up the remote, I gathered my book and the daily devotional that goes with it, and settled into my chair. As I began to read, my mind was absolutely flooded with junk from the day. Thoughts of work, solutions to problems, concerns with the economy, concerns for friends that are affected by the economy, and many other things were jockeying for position as my mind raced. I honestly couldn't tell you what any of the first page said, and I really wanted to get something out of my reading. I put down the book and said a quick prayer.

I prayed that God would calm the waters of my mind. I prayed that he would lay siege to the battles that were going on in my thoughts, and that He would rid my mind of the concerns and worry that were weighing me down. I wanted to be able to focus, and I couldn't with the chaos that was in progress. It was a quick prayer, but it worked immediately. It may seem ridiculous, but I am a visual person. I try to imagine things when I think about them, and it has worked well for me in the industry that I work in. I work out the solutions in my mind, and then try to convey what I have seen from behind the scenes. I do the same thing when I pray prayers like this.

I visualized choppy seas and a storm. I saw the water as it crested and crashed, and I heard the thunder as it roared across the face of the ocean. I could hear the explosions of the waves as they crashed against each other, and I could see the rain as it assaulted everything that was present. All at once, I felt lonely and vulnerable. I have never been through a storm at sea, but I imagine that it could be pretty intimidating. With no trees or other sound barriers, I imagine that the noise would be absolutely overwhelming, and the thought of it sends me into a panic. As I prayed, the picture in my minds' eye was an ocean that was suddenly and absolutely quiet. The winds and the waves stopped, and the surface of the water turned as smooth as glass. I could almost feel a slight breeze across my face, and I could hear the intense sound of peace. The clouds rolled back, and my soul was bathed in moonlight. I felt peace, I heard peace, and I could see peace. It was at that moment that I heard a slight whisper..."Be still, and know that I am God."

Goosebumps ran down my spine, and my soul started to tingle. In that moment, I realized that I was in the presence of the most powerful, most high God. Regal grace and compassion consumed me, and I felt like a lost child that had been found. My God had seen me, and He was lifting me out of my mind's chaos. There are no words that can adequately describe the feelings that I experienced. I honestly can say that I physically felt the presence of God, and I will not ever forget that feeling.

I believe that God puts things in our heart for us, and He gives us nuggets of wisdom that we are able to tap into in moments where we can't feel Him as closely as we want to. With that said, here is one of the things that God spoke into my heart.

If you are not where you are supposed to be, then it is because something hasn't moved. You shouldn't feel dismayed or tormented over this thought, you should look inward to make sure that you are not what is supposed to be moving. If you are not the issue, then take comfort in the fact that God is preparing the next step.

Our God is the creator of the universe. Genesis 1:1-2 1In the beginning, God created the heavens and the earth. 2The earth was without form and void, and darkness was over the face of the deep. And the Spirit of God was hovering over the face of the waters.

Take comfort in the fact that you were put here for a reason. Find sanctuary in the thought that God created everything, and He intended for us to be the caretaker for His creations. Genesis 1:28 And God blessed them. And God said to them, "Be fruitful and multiply and fill the earth and subdue it and have dominion over the fish of the sea and over the birds of the heavens and over every living thing that moves on the earth."

Maybe this helps you, and maybe you just feel that I am a little bit crazy for thinking that God would take the time to talk to me. For what it's worth, I am a nasty creature that has a history full of failures. The only thing that I do consistently is fail miserably, and it is also the thing that I am probably the best at.

The thing that allows me to think that God would speak to me is that He created me. He made me who I am, and He intended for me to travel the road that I have travelled. Last night, He welcomed me with open arms, and He washed me clean. He trimmed my hair and made me presentable. He restored me to the place that I was created for, and He put the elegant robes of royalty on my shoulders. He has given me the inheritance that I was created to have, and I am so truly humbled by His generosity. I guess that it holds so much weight because this is not the first time that He has done this for me. I have sought to squander my inheritance many times. I have lived life the way that I thought it should be lived, and I was wrong - every time.

I smile because the prodigal is no longer a long-lost son. I shout praises because I can feel the presence of my Heavenly Father. I have hope and peace because He has me in His arms once again.