....presence

Jehoiakim was king of Judah just prior to the first Babylonian invasion in 605 B.C.. He had become comfortable in the security of the palace, and an alliance with the Egyptians made him feel even more protected. But Jehoiakim led the people of Judah further away from God; "he did evil in the eyes of the Lord, just as his fathers had done" 2 Kings 23:37.

God sent the prophet Jeremiah to warn Jehoiakim and the people of Judah that disaster would come if they did not repent; "If you do not listen to Me and follow My law..., then I will make this city an object of cursing among all the nations of the earth" Jeremiah 26:4,6. But with his every need and desire fulfilled, and his every fear removed, Jehoiakim did not see a reason to listen.

I warned you when you felt secure, but you said, 'I will not listen!' This has been your way from your youth; you have not obeyed Jeremiah 22:21 We spend the majority of our lives building security in our job, finances, and relationships. But security within the world system is extremely shallow and deceptive; "Do not store up for yourselves treasures {security} on earth, where moth and rust destroy, where thieves break in and steal" Matthew 6:19. We ought to be thankful for every one of our earthly blessings, but we should NEVER receive our "security" from the world. Our complete dependence must always remain on our Heavenly Father, and our eyes and ears should continually be open to His leading.

Our daily walk is made one slow step at a time as we "trust in the Lord with all your heart and lean not on your own understanding" Proverbs 3:5. Usually, we are allowed to see only the next step; "Your Word is a lamp unto my feet, and a light for my path" Psalm 119:105. We may not know what turns lie ahead, but our true security, peace and comfort, comes from simply knowing we are on His path, not from feeling we control the direction or pace of the journey.

True security begins with faith in Jesus Christ and builds on a pure love which flows from the innermost part of our heart. Even activities such as church attendance, Bible study, or work in various ministries mean nothing without a faith based love; and these well-intended actions become a false spiritual security when they replace the need to abide in the presence of God or daily seek His direction.

Let's not allow our lives to develop a sense of security which shuts out the need for God and the absolute hunger for His presence. Our walk of faith will always require stepping into the unknown where all we have is what He provides, and a loving trust in God is confident that His provision is always enough! Let's lean on Him, love Him, and draw ever closer. Let's seek true security by only being secure in His presence.

-steve troxel