What if Jesus lived just around the corner?

Are you amazed at the "odd" times God chooses to give you a thought to chew on? I was riding the lawn mower this morning attempting to "rake" up some of the 50 million leaves (yes, I counted the first 118 and extrapolated to reach said sum) and God says "What would it be like to have Jesus living in Snellville, Ga. just around the corner from your house probably mowing leaves and likely to run by your house and stop to talk a few minutes after he finished?" Whoa, Jesus just around the corner? I wonder what he will think of how I'm taking care of his Father's little piece of land I've been made responsible for? Or would He want to talk about the last episode of "Duck Dynasty"? Or what "heavenly" topic can I have ready to dazzle him with when we talk? What if Jesus lived just around the corner?

As I finished the yard clean-up, God speaks to me again reminding me of John 1:14- "And the Word became flesh and dwelt among us." "Dwelt" can be either "tabernacled among us" (you know like God did in the desert as the children of Israel wandered for forty years) or "took residence with us." That is what He did 2,000 years ago (plus or minus), but what if He were to do it again before the Second Coming...which would make it the second coming this time and the Third Coming when he comes back as described in Revelation. What if He did live right around the corner and I saw him every day? I hear you out there. Yes, I know we have the Holy Spirit who indwells us from the day we accept Jesus as Lord and Savior. So yes, he does more than live around the corner. Are you happy now? Glad you figured it out? Well hang on just a minute because I'm not sure where God is leading me on this, so we will continue until He puts a period on it.

"The Practice of the Presence of God" by Brother Lawrence is a profound little book written by a monk about 300 years ago. The bottom line of the whole work is- "practicing the presence of God in one single act that does not end." Lawrence believed the time he spent in communion with the Lord should be the same whether he was bustling around in the kitchen with several people asking questions at the same time or on his knees in prayer. "One single act?" Hmmm. Seamless without beginning or ending act. A life of practicing the presence of God like one single,beautiful piece of woven fabric without a seam or break.

So here I was looking at this dwelling, this Tabernacling, this residing around the corner, thinking His physical presence might make a daily visit and cause me to live more in line with His purposes or love Him more dearly, but even that scenario would be less than what my relationship with Him is supposed to look like. Waaaay short in fact! I mean like "air ball" short in a basketball game...I can hear the angels and the great crowd of witnesses in Hebrews 12:1 yelling "Air ball! Air ball! Air ball!" I know I fall far short of the glory of God with my sin but my walk with Jesus every day falls far short also.

Now I must find the key to "practicing the presence of God" every moment doing anything, anywhere, with anyone. I've got some serious work to do. Just like that improvement I need on my basketball shooting, my practicing the presence of God needs...practice.

Musing thus far...

Richard