As we enter 2023, we’ll be focusing this month on realigning our lives to what God is doing. With all the twists and turns and bumps to come this year, here is a devotion that helps us know how to set each day:

IN WORD Forever is a long time. If we are going to be with someone forever, we want to be with someone worthy of the commitment. We would find no comfort in an eternity that is boring, painful, lonely, or without purpose. When it comes to forever, we want it to be good. The Bible doesn’t tell us a lot about our activity in heaven, but it does tell us that we will be with the Lord forever. We know we will be among the multitudes worshiping around His throne, but we also know that to be absent from the body is to be present with the Lord (2 Corinthians 5:8), and there’s every indication in Scripture that this is a very personal presence.
The God who knows us by name and has counted the hairs on our head is not going to assimilate us into the crowd in heaven. We will see Him face-to-face—personally. That might be an awkward moment if we haven’t spent much time in His presence in this age. If our prayer life is one-dimensional—our talking to Him and hoping He hears—then we may need to get acquainted with Him on that day. But if we are tuned to His voice, comfortable in the holy presence of His Spirit, and aware of His constant and affectionate attention, heaven will be a continuation of the theme. One way or another, how we know Him here will have a lot to do with how we know Him there.
IN DEED With that in mind, it might be helpful to practice His presence right now. There are many ways to do that, but one of the most basic is simply to be aware. Scripture has told us that He is always with us, so to imagine and to sense that He is with us is never inappropriate.
Far from being an escapist fantasy, awareness of His presence gets us closer to reality than we normally live. Do that today. As you drive, as you work, as you relax, in all the things you do, be aware of your constant Companion. Talk to Him and make time to listen. Enjoy His company. Remember that His loving eyes are on you and His loving hands hold you up. “And realize that His companionship will never, ever end. I make it my priority to persevere in His holy presence, wherein I maintain a simple attention and a fond regard for God.” —Brother Lawrence (in “God with Us” by Chris Tiegreen)

As we head into 2023, there are many uncertainties that can cause a lot of anxiety for many people. But if our hope rests in God and in His unfolding will, we can live each day with confidence because we know what cannot be seen, not the circumstances we see, dictates the future.
If you desire to live in God’s presence, a classic I’ve always recommended is Brother Lawrence’s “Practice of the Presence of God.” Why not start the new year off by opening your eyes to what God is doing around you daily (available free at: https://www.gutenberg.org/ebooks/5657). Have a blessed week! - from Singapore, Pastor Sam