Be. Present.
Pete Stearns | March 13, 2022
We hope this guide will help you take the good news you hear today into your daily lives.
We live busy and distracted lives, and it’s easy to allow our relationship with God to become just another task on our to-do list. If we are to truly experience a life overflowing with the presence of God, we must silence the noise in our lives and Be.
Notes and Scripture
When the woman saw that the fruit of the tree was good for food and pleasing to the eye, and also desirable for gaining wisdom, she took some and ate it. She also gave some to her husband, who was with her, and he ate it. Then the eyes of both of them were opened, and they realized they were naked; so they sewed fig leaves together and made coverings for themselves.
Then the man and his wife heard the sound of the Lord God as he was walking in the garden in the cool of the day, and they hid from the Lord God among the trees of the garden. But the Lord God called to the man, “Where are you?”
Genesis 3:6-9
We feel separated from the presence of God because of our:
External Distractions
External Idols
Internal Shame
Internal Blame
He answered, “I heard you in the garden, and I was afraid because I was naked; so I hid.”
And he said, “Who told you that you were naked? Have you eaten from the tree that I commanded you not to eat from?”
The man said, “The woman you put here with me—she gave me some fruit from the tree, and I ate it.”
Genesis 3:10-12
Shortly before dawn Jesus went out to them, walking on the lake. When the disciples saw him walking on the lake, they were terrified. “It’s a ghost,” they said, and cried out in fear.
But Jesus immediately said to them: “Take courage! It is I. Don’t be afraid.”
“Lord, if it’s you,” Peter replied, “tell me to come to you on the water.”
“Come,” he said.
Then Peter got down out of the boat, walked on the water, and came toward Jesus.
Matthew 14:25-29
Going Deeper: Examen
Practice
Then the man and his wife heard the sound of the Lord God as he was walking in the garden in the cool of the day, and they hid from the Lord God among the trees of the garden. But the Lord God called to the man, “Where are you?”
Genesis 3:8-9
An examen is an ancient prayer practice involving self-reflection and evaluation. During an examen, we ask ourselves the same question God asks: “Where are you?” This week, take some time (away from distractions!) to reflect on the question God asks in Genesis 3:9.
Reflect
God is always with us, but we don’t always have the eyes to see or the ears to hear—and the internal and external noise surrounding us only makes it harder for us to practice God’s presence.
In prayer this week, ask God to show you which of the following from Pete’s sermon today most separate you from the presence of God in your life.
External Distractions | External Idols | Internal Shame | Internal Blame
If you are looking for a simple way to reconnect with God—“practicing the presence” during your day—consider the breath prayer from last week based on Psalm 46:10: “Be still and know that I am God” as a way of drawing your focus towards Him.
