His Presence

Our fourteen-year-old beagle, Riley, wants inside the house with us when we’re home. He barks and he whines and he howls and then he barks some more, demanding our attention, for Riley knows what he wants -- to be inside -- because that’s where we are.  Ian says it’s because that’s where the food is. Regardless, whether it’s the food or us, Riley knows what he wants, and he wants inside.

He usually needs some assistance to get in and out of our house. The two back steps are killers for his back legs as he struggles with osteoporosis, a debilitating disease which has definitely set him back in his twilight years; but Riley refuses to back down from what he wants – to be inside with us.

Sometimes I have to pick him up; sometimes he’s able to do it on his own. His head tells him to go, but his legs say no. But Riley knows what he wants. Even his back legs don’t stop him from making that known.

A good lesson, a reminder really, for me – for anyone – to know what we want and to let that be known. Even when we’re tired and exhausted and hurt. Even when we’re irritated or apathetic or distressed. To stay focused on what we want.

After the resurrection, the believers in Jesus knew what they wanted. They were preoccupied, consumed really, with their risen Lord. He was the center of conversation, the center of interest, the center of their lives. He was all they talked about. He was all they wanted. His presence was more important to them than anything else.

Riley’s persistent barking, demanding to be inside, reminded me today of that mighty fact:  being in Christ’s presence is more important than anything else.

After the Sabbath, at dawn on the first day of the week, Mary Magdalene and the other Mary went to look at the tomb. There was a violent earthquake, for an angel of the Lord came down from heaven and, going to the tomb, rolled back the stone and sat on it. His appearance was like lightning, and his clothes were white as snow. The guards were so afraid of him that they shook and became like dead men.

The angel said to the women, “Do not be afraid, for I know that you are looking for Jesus, who was crucified. He is not here; he has risen, just as he said. Come and see the place where he lay. Then go quickly and tell his disciples: ‘He has risen from the dead and is going ahead of you into Galilee. There you will see him.’ Now I have told you.”

So the women hurried away from the tomb, afraid yet filled with joy, and ran to tell his disciples. Suddenly Jesus met them. “Greetings,” he said. They came to him, clasped his feet and worshiped him. Then Jesus said to them, “Do not be afraid. Go and tell my brothers to go to Galilee; there they will see me.”  

Matthew 28:1-10