“So the Lord promised Moses, and so He has promised us. Let us never venture any where, if we have reason to think the Lord will not favour us with His presence there. The Lord’s presence produces holiness, imparts power, fires with zeal, brings into union, and often fills with comfort, joy, and peace. His presence is our glory, and it will yield us support under losses, crosses, and bereavements. Let us plead for the Lord’s presence to go with us; let us expect it; let us not be satisfied with anything else. He went with Moses, and he persevered; with Joshua, and he conquered; with David, and he reached the throne; with Paul, and he was more than a conqueror. Nothing can be a substitute for the Lord’s presence; and as it is so graciously promised, let us not attempt to find a substitute, but daily cry, “If Thy presence go not with me, carry me not up hence.” Jesus has said, “If a man love Me, he will keep My words; and My Father will love him, and WE will come unto him, and make our abode with him.”

O Lord, be ever near us,
Fix in our hearts Thy home:
By Thine appearing cheer us,
And let Thy kingdom come:
Fulfil our expectation,
And give our souls to prove,
Thine uttermost salvation,
Thine everlasting love.

“Real prayer is calling upon God. He is our Father: we are His children. We have nothing; He has all things to bestow, and is willing to give them. From a sense of need, we call on the Lord for a supply; from a sense of weakness, we call on Him for strength; from a sense of guilt, we call on Him for pardon. Being diseased, we cry for health; being troubled, for comfort and peace; being in distress, for relief and deliverance. We go out of self to Jesus, accepting His invitation, to plead His promise, and find Him faithful. Our God is always near the praying soul, not merely as the omnipresent Jehovah, but as our faithful Friend. He is near us, lovingly to listen to what we have to lay before Him; mercifully to relieve our miseries, be they what they may; graciously to help in every difficulty or danger. Beloved, our God is near us. He is attentive to us this morning; let us lay all our concerns before Him: He loves to listen to the often-told tale; He has patience with us, blessings for us, and will do us good.”

O Lord, each day renew my strength,
And let me see Thy face at length,
With all Thy people yonder;
With them in heaven Thy love declare,
And sing Thy praise for ever there,
With gratitude and wonder.

It is noteworthy that Jesus said, “lay up for yourselves”. Isn’t that great! This is proof that Christ is concerned about your welfare and that it is okay for you to be concerned about it. The key is that we are to lay up “treasures in heaven“, not on earth. The treasures on earth shall all pass away. You will lose them because they will pass from your grasp or you will leave then because you pass– either way, you can’t take them with you. That’s why you don’t see a hearse pulling a U-haul trailer or pockets in a shroud. The only things you will have after you die are the treasures you laid up in heaven.

It’s not my opinion, nor yours, that really matters. God’s opinion is the only one that counts. What He thinks matters much! Rather than longing for lies we ought to be looking for ways to please God. Believe it or not, it is only by pleasing Him that we can ever truly be pleased.