Living Presence

Remember, we are looking at Joseph and receiving Truth about, the Name of Jesus.

The first fact is Living Presence. There is Living Presence in the name of Jesus. This is what we heard in Genesis 45: 1. Then Joseph could not restrain himself before all those who stood by him, and he cried out, Make everyone go out from me! So no one stood with him while Joseph made himself known to his brothers. What pictures, what images, does this verse present to us?

One sure picture is that of Joseph, alone in a room with his brothers. It shows that his brothers are in his presence, for they were brought into his presence by him. That is where Joseph lives, in the freedom, riches, peace and joy of the land. It is his welcoming place. His brothers have come from a far way, a very far distance at that, and it is Joseph who wants them to be alone in his presence. Note, the Scripture clearly stated that Joseph could not restrain himself.  It was all Joseph’s doing and nothing of his brothers'. Will you take full note here?

• It was Joseph who recognized his brothers and brought them into his powerful presence, for he was a man of great power and authority in Egypt, all given to him by Pharaoh. This was not the other way around. In this setting, this moment in time, Joseph has invited his brothers into his place.

• It was Joseph who wanted such intimacy of presence with his brothers. It was Joseph who cleared the room of all good people - all his servants, friends, advisers and more - just to have presence with his own flesh and blood. This was not the other way around. In this moment in time, Joseph is the person who wanted no one else in his presence but his own.

• It was Joseph who could not restrain himself and wanted this sweet time of aloneness with his brothers. All these deep, loving emotions were on Joseph, not his brothers, for they did not yet recognize him. They did not know who this Egyptian prince – for so he looked to them - was. It was all Joseph’s love, and his love alone that gave them presence.

Is that not a shadow, a taste, of what we are receiving now in the Name of Jesus? Are we not in His Presence? As you were being taken through this with Joseph, were you not seeing our Jesus? Why are we with our Jesus in this place and time? Never be deceived about it. We are, in the Powerful Name of Jesus, His Presence, because He did not just invite us to come into His Presence, that of which we are in no way worthy, but He made it possible for us to be alone in His Presence at this time. Has He not shut out the world for the moment, so that we can be alone in His Presence with Him? Jesus, is our Brother and it is His deep love and passion for us that have made it possible for us to be in His Living Presence.  Will you hear this all again but with Jesus before you?

It is Jesus who recognizes us, His brothers and sisters and brings us into His powerful Presence. Jesus is a Man of omnipotence, on the earth, whose power is undeniable, given to Him by His Father in heaven. Believer, this is not the other way around. Never be deceived about it. It is Jesus who made the first move in inviting us into His Presence. 

It is Jesus who wants such intimacy of presence with us. It is Jesus who makes this all possible. Even when we are crowded in mind, with all kinds of cares, Jesus is the Person with the Power to chase them all away and free us to give our all to Him, completely and not partially. Never be deceived about it. It is Jesus who makes us fit to be in His Presence. 

It is Jesus who still could not restrain Himself and He still wants to be alone and intimate with us. Don’t you see how He wept and still weeps over His own, longing to gather us to Him as a hen gathers her chicks? All these deep, loving emotions are on Jesus, not you and me. You’ll agree with me that most of the time, we do not even recognize our Brother Jesus in our midst. Never be deceived about it. It is Jesus’ love and His love alone that draws us into His Presence.

Let us always remember and give thanks to Jesus, for His Living Presence.