But the promise of verse 23 is that when we turn to Jesus in love and obedience, he and the Father make their home in our hearts. It’s not that we can earn our salvation. Jesus doesn’t come to us because of our good works. But our experience and enjoyment of his presence is linked to our actions. If you turn your back on someone, then they may as well not be there; if you ignore Jesus, he’ll feel far away. But all you need to do is turn. Take steps towards him in love and obedience, and he’ll make his home with you and transform your heart—just as he did with Levi.
3. PRAYING FOR A SENSE OF JESUS’ LOVE
Prayer is an opportunity to slow down, be still and attune yourself to the presence of Jesus through the Holy Spirit. Jesus is within you, and he’s there because he wants to be—because he loves you and wants to assure you of his love. Most of us are not used to being still, and our lives are filled with noise and distraction. So sensing the spiritual presence of Jesus is not straight forward. This is why Paul prays that God would “strengthen you with power through his Spirit in your inner being” (Ephesians 3:16). Only with the Spirit’s help will Christ “dwell in your hearts through faith” (v. 17).
You might find it helpful to repeat part of a Bible verse or a simple phrase like “Jesus, you are here”. Don’t worry if your thoughts wander. Trying to stop distractions will itself become a distraction—because you’ll be focusing on the very distractions you want to avoid! When you become aware that your thoughts have wandered off, simply return your focus to the presence of Jesus, perhaps by repeating your chosen phrase or bringing the things you’re thinking about to him. You’re not trying to “do” anything other than be aware of the presence of Jesus with you. Jesus himself may have something that he wants to do—to reassure you of his love perhaps or to challenge you. But make it your aim simply to be there, spending time in his presence.
Jesus is absent in body, so we wouldn’t normally expect any bodily sensations associated with his presence. Spiritual experiences are going to feel elusive to earthbound people! But that doesn’t mean they’re impossible or unreal. By faith we can know he’s with us—present in the queue at the supermarket checkout, present when you’re at the wheel of your car, present when the pressure is on at work, present when you’re waiting for the diagnosis. Being deliberately attentive to the presence of Jesus—whether you feel him there or not—will be a blessing. Hear the invitation of Jesus to you: “Here I am! I stand at the door and knock. If anyone hears my voice and opens the door, I will come in and eat with that person, and they with me” (Revelation 3:20).
This article is adapted from “Enjoying Jesus: Experience the Presence and Kindness of the Son of God in Everyday Life” by Tim Chester. In the book, Tim explores how Jesus acted and interacted with people in Luke’s Gospel and how, through his Spirit, we can experience the joy of Jesus’ presence and companionship in our day-to-day lives. Tim is a senior faculty member of Crosslands Training and the author of over 40 books.