Embrace Worship: Presence

As I’ve been digging into this topic of ‘worship’ with the Lord, I have been sorting through the subtle, yet significant, differences between two facets of worship: an encounter with God and entering into the presence of God. Early on in my research the two ideas surfaced quickly, but I must confess I struggled to differentiate the two. So, I finally asked Google. LOL

The initial list generated by Google surprised me with its substance, meaning the comparison lists for the two ideas weren’t just fluff. They offered vocabulary and imagery that aided my understanding and investigation. 

Admittedly, ‘encountering God’ and ‘entering God’s presence’ have overlap, but it helps to consider each separately, and in doing so we uncover a third facet of worship. And on the chance this feels like splitting-hairs, be encouraged! The deeper we explore both of these facets of worship, the more likely our own worship will deepen.¹ 

Last week, we embraced the idea of worship as ‘altars of encounter’ – those momentary, experiential, transformative connections with God. Those holy moments that rock us, ignite us, anchor us, change us. 

This week we are exploring the way of worship that overflows into all areas of our lives, all the time – what Google’s summary described as “a way of life characterized by a continuous pursuit of God’s presence and relationship with Him.”¹ Meeting God at the altar with the intention of entering His presence happens tangibly when we kneel or sit or fall prostrate before Him, but it also occurs each time we turn our face toward His and fix our eyes on Him.

Worship Facet #3 – Cultivating Presence and Relationship

Very little about the worship of the One True God happens without intention. If we don’t look at Him, our eyes will be on our to do lists, our circumstances, ourselves. If we don’t carve out time throughout the day to set our minds on Him, our calendars will carry us away from our King. If we don’t pursue the Almighty, we’ll chase after careers and dreams and people. 

Therefore, if we’re to better understand this third facet of worship, we must release all expectation that worship is only the songs we sing on Sunday and embrace worship as “cultivating an awareness of [God’s] presence” in all we do, wherever we are.² Much as farmers must be intentional to prepare their land for the crops they desire to grow, we must work the soils of our spirits, minds, and hearts so they are ready to recognize and receive the presence of God. We have to be intentional in our choosing of God over other distractions – all the while still living the lives God has given us.

So that means this cultivating work will look differently for each of us. Some of us keep verses handy to repeat over ourselves and our loved ones. Others take breaks throughout the day to pray. Then there are those who enter their rooms alone so they can block out the noise and listen for God. Some sing along with worship music as they drive. Others praise God as they walk along a trail. But what each of these has in common is intentional turning of eyes off of phones and TV, off of fear and worry, off of overwhelm and chaos – and onto Jesus.

Consider Peter. He alone – no other disciple had the faith to do it – stepped out of the boat and walked on water! His faith in Jesus remained intact as long as his eyes stayed fixed on His Savior. When he intentionally walked toward Jesus, drawing into His presence, his feet stepped in faith. But when his eyes left Jesus and focused on the waves, his faith faltered; his body sank.

Lest we think we could never live out such faith as Peter, let’s recall that Peter spent a lot of time in Jesus’ presence prior to this miraculous night. He didn’t just one day walk on water. All along Peter built a relationship with Jesus. He left everything to follow Him. He studied and listened and talked with Jesus. He faithfully, from beginning to end, stayed close to Jesus so that his faith would not only be sustainable but fruitful. In Jesus’ presence, Peter flourished.

But on his own, he worried. He grabbed the reins of control. He gave into fear and failed – to the point of denying Christ. The difference is striking. 

Peter’s life is our example, our teacher. 

And the lessons continue – because the rooster crowing is not where Peter’s story ended (Luke 22:60-62). The minute Peter saw Jesus on the beach after His resurrection, he jumped from the boat and swam to Jesus. He pursued Him; he returned to His presence; he got his eyes back on his Savior. 

Peter’s pursuit of Christ, his sheer desire to be with Jesus, helped him to be shaped by Jesus. And after Pentecost with the presence of Jesus in him by way of His Spirit, Peter prayed. He studied Scripture. He shared what he had and taught what he knew to be true. He worshiped the only One worthy of awe and adoration. In other words, he still found ways to be in Jesus’ presence.

Peter’s story is meant to be our story too. All his mistakes and victories become our road maps to a life of pursuing Jesus’ presence. 

Altars of Presence

The altars of the patriarchs give us a mental picture of what it looks like to come toward God. Those ancient, roughly hewn places of worship help us practice the age-old rhythm of meeting with God.³ Moving toward an altar – physical or spiritual – helps us make that intentional turn toward Him, to bow down with reverence and love before Him. 

Altars draw our eyes and our hearts, becoming a place where we shift our focus and move our bodies toward God as we seek more of Him. In this way, “altars help us to be present – because if we will stop, look, listen right where we are, we’ll realize God is with us…even if it’s not where we want to be.”⁴ Altars help us step into God’s presence and be present. And this isn’t just every once in a while; it’s ongoing. 

The more we turn toward Jesus, the more our worship of God extends beyond segmented moments in our weeks or days. God is omnipresent, which means He is always near. He’s always extending His hand toward us, inviting us to draw near to Him. And, at the same time, He’s left the door open – we can move toward His presence and invite Him to meet with us! 

Our God seeks those who are simply and honestly themselves before Him – especially in their worship (John 4:23 MSG). And when we seek Him, He is all the more pleased! So as we come to the Altar, let’s embrace the truth that God receives us just as we are (Romans 15:7).⁵ No show. No masks. No hiding. Just our true selves before our loving, holy Father. All the time.

Our Response

Whether we come to the altar of presence as an accepted invitation or to extend an invitation, we can trust God will be there (James 4:8). He’ll speak, move, nudge, pour out His Spirit, give an answer, ask a question, or hold our hand. Then we respond.

In this way, worship is like a dance. God extends His hand. We step toward Him. He envelopes us in His arms. We relax and give Him the lead. He steps to the right. We follow suit. Back and forth we move in time to the Spirit’s rhythm, giving and receiving, pouring out and filling up.

“Worship is always responsive.”⁶ 

So when we think of worship as watching the praise band sing, as a performance, or even as a duty, we miss the deeper truths of the dance.⁶ Worship is a response to God’s presence – to His compassion and truth, His love and lessons, His pursuit of us as well as His provision. 

Over the years, I’ve experienced God’s presence on multiple levels and in many ways. Sometimes I fly to the actual altar after a sermon because I have such a need for comfort, and I just need my Father. Other times I hesitate to go because I’ve felt the prickling of conviction, but then I go forward and kneel before my King, always finding compassion and forgiveness. 

There are times when the invitation to meet with God comes without understanding why, but compelled by the Spirit, I move toward Him anyway and pour out my praise. Every once in a while, time in God’s presence is filling and full of emotion. Other times it’s restful and anchoring. Sometimes I hear words from Him. Other times it’s just Him and me simply being together – our spirits in union. 

But every time I meet God at the altar – at church, in my prayer chair, riding in the car, standing in line at the grocery store – I’m given a choice. To worship or not. To respond or not. I can let the walls down and let Him in, or not. I can confess or speak or do what He asks, or not. 

Worship is a choice.⁶ And so is our response to God’s presence.

My friends, true worship is us getting out of the boat. It’s stepping onto the stormy seas and moving toward Jesus despite how we feel or what others say. It’s giving our whole selves to the Holy One as we say ‘yes’ to His invitation to enter His presence. It’s us having the faith and gumption to go to Him, to ask Him to come to us – and to respond to Him as He moves near. Just as we are. With all that we are. 

This is worship.

Father God, we remain in awe of You and how You work in this world and in our lives. We must confess that it amazes us that You, the Creator, the Almighty, the King of Kings, desires to be in our presence – You DELIGHT in us. And that is why throughout history, You have always made a way for your people to enter into your presence. Lord Jesus – You are that Way. Through You, we are given the gift of God’s nearness. By your blood we are cleansed – bodies, hearts, and spirits – and we now have confidence to enter the Most Holy Place. We draw near to God with sincere hearts and with the full assurance that faith brings. Holy Spirit, with You dwelling in us, we constantly have the presence of Christ in us. And we know that without your help, direction, and encouragement, we cannot get out of the boat. Not in our own strength, but in yours. Not with our version of faith, but with true faith that comes from abiding in Christ. We ask that You would help us tear down any walls that keep us from going to God fully and completely. We ask that You would lead us into deeper union with our Father and so deepen our worship and trust of Him. And we ask that You would guide us into this life of entering into God’s presence so that we are near Him all the time – hearing His voice, knowing His will, and believing He is with us always. In Jesus’ name, amen.
(inspired by Psalm 149:4; Leviticus 26:12; John 14:6; Hebrews 10:19-22; Ephesians 3:16; Romans 8:9-11; 1 John 4:13; John 17:21-23; James 4:8; Acts 22:14)

Resources: I love sharing with you the books, podcasts, articles, and anything else that has inspired, encouraged, or taught me. These are humble offerings with no expectations.

• 1 – I failed to save the exact search that caused AI to generate such a helpful list, but no matter how I’ve ‘searched’ the difference between the two, the results have been fascinating and worth consideration. I give assurances that Google is not my only source for this post! However, its search results aided my early understanding, pointed me in good directions, and echoed some of the research I’d already accumulated. SOOOOO…here’s a chart that applies the results Google passed on. I find it helpful. I hope you do too.

Encounter	Presence
Momentary – a specific, impactful moment where God makes Himself known in a tangible way	Ongoing – a conscious choice to cultivate a relationship with God and dwell in His presence throughout the day
Experiential – often involves emotions, sensations, or even physical manifestations	Internal – the ‘heart’ is cultivated through spending time with God
Transformative – usually leads to change or a deeper understanding of God	Active – a continual seeking of God’s presence; allowing Him to work in our lives
Not always predictable: can be sought but not always a certainty; often it’s unexpected	Not always dramatic – can involve strong emotions but is typically a quiet experience

• 2 – That Sounds Fun podcast episode #499 with Brooke Ligertwood
• 3 – This Biblehub article states: The altar serves as a point of divine-human interaction. It is where God meets with His people, as seen in Exodus 29:42, “There I will meet with you and speak to you.” The altar is a place of prayer, intercession, and divine revelation.
• 4 – Pastor Levi Lusko talked with Annie F. Downs on episode 972 of her That Sounds Fun podcast; he also said altars can be our way of “building sturdy places when everything else is spiraling.”
• 5 – The Bristol House “Altars Reprise” devotion points us toward these truths as we worship at the altar of presence:
  • Request a greater awareness of Jesus’ presence Revelation 21:6
  • Embrace the truth that God will receive you as you are 1 John 4:15-17
  • Invite God to stir the fire of your faith Hebrews 12:28-29
  • Remember God’s love for you John 14:21
  • Express your love for God John 21:15
• 6 – Lisa Harper on Back Porch Theology with Scotty Smith, January 1, 2025.
• Charity Gayle’s “Throne Room Song” packs so many punches that I had to include it on our Embrace Worship Spotify playlist even though it has appeared on previous playlists. The lyrics — from “Jesus is in this room, here right now” to “the veil is torn, the doors swing wide” — capture so much of what we’re exploring in this third facet of worship: PRESENCE. I dare you to listen and not get swept up in the power of all the truths of God’s forever presence being here and now, making everywhere we are with Him HOLY GROUND.
• Each Wednesday I upload a “Teacup” teaching video that carries on the topic here. You can find all the videos on my Facebook Author Page, Instagram, and YouTube.
• Many of you have already found me on Substack! Thank you so much! While you’re on Substack, check out the ministry I’m blessed to be part of, the Devoted Collective. AND…don’t forget if you’d rather listen to these weekly posts, you can now do so on Substack — it’s easy to see and use the audio bar across the top of each post.
• My monthly newsletter, The Abiding Life, goes to email inboxes of those who have subscribed on my website, and I post them on Substack — usually within the first week of the month. My most recent edition can be found there, and you can subscribe for future newsletters on Substack, here.

Rhythms: As my newsletter’s title infers, we seek to develop an abiding life in this space — a place where we can get informed but also be transformed as we learn to abide in God’s presence throughout our days. I like to think that developing rhythms is one way to aid us in our desire to become more Christlike. These next three months we’re focusing on the rhythm of worship (surprise!).

• Get your highlighters and tabs out — we’re marking Hebrews 10:19-22 in our Prayer Bibles! Each week this summer we’re marking significant passages about worship so that we can find them easily, put them to memory, and apply them in our abiding lives. These are words we can pray with a little personalization. And they can become promises we speak over ourselves, giving them space to do a work in our hearts and minds and spirits. Friends, we worship God well when we come into His presence boldly, with holy confidence, because of what Jesus did for us on the cross:
  • “And so, dear brothers and sisters, we can boldly enter heaven’s Most Holy Place because of the blood of Jesus. By his death, Jesus opened a new and life-giving way through the curtain into the Most Holy Place. And since we have a great High Priest who rules over God’s house, let us go right into the presence of God with sincere hearts fully trusting him. For our guilty consciences have been sprinkled with Christ’s blood to make us clean, and our bodies have been washed with pure water.” –Hebrews 10:19-22 NLT
• We’re all called to share the truths about the work of Jesus. One way you can do that is by sharing this site and telling others your own stories of faith experiences. Believe it or not, we worship God each time we share our stories of faith! We use our whole selves to tell about our holy God!!

Featured Photo by Aaron Burden on Unsplash. “All the Bits and Pieces” photo by Aleksandra Sapozhnikova on Unsplash.
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