The Divine Presence — A Cluster of Righteous Rays | sermon by Father. Mungamuri Devadasu | Bible Mission

God’s presence can be likened to a cluster of rays from the Sun of Righteousness — a radiant outpouring of blessings that flow from the Son (Jesus Christ). The word nidhi means a collection or treasury; here, it symbolizes the abundance of spiritual gifts found in His presence. This divine presence becomes a sacred key — a spiritual principle that fulfills every desire of the heart.

Entering God’s Presence: To experience this presence, begin your day by rising early, washing your face with water, reading a few verses from Scripture, and if possible, singing a hymn. After this, spend time in prayer. These simple yet intentional steps help prepare your heart to recognize and enter into the nearness of God, where true fulfillment and peace are found.

A Prayer and Reflection on Dwelling in God’s Presence

“O Lord, who said, ‘Come to me, all who labor and are heavy laden,’ I thank You! Just as You called, I have come to You. I am now seated in Your holy presence. Let Your rays shine upon me. Let them fall upon my body and soul. Let Your divine qualities be formed in me. If You have any special message for me today, speak to me, Lord. Amen.”

After praying this, one must forget the world, the flesh, Satan, and sin. We must believe with faith that the Lord Jesus, who said, ‘I am with you always,’ is indeed with us and has heard our prayer. This belief should guide our meditation.

Let only these two thoughts remain:

1. God is with me.
2. I am with God.

When you dwell in His presence with such focused thoughts, the rays of the Lord fall upon your body and spirit. These divine rays will drive away the darkness within your soul — unbelief, despair, anxiety, sorrow, fear, timidity, and all things connected to sin. In their place will come peace, joy, and comfort into your heart.

Just as Moses spent forty days in God’s presence and received divine radiance on his face, though he covered it with a veil, that glory still shone through and impacted those around him. During that time, Moses listened to God, wrote down His words, and received beauty, radiance, and splendor.In the same way, when we dwell in God's presence, His rays fall upon us too. If Moses gained such glory in forty days, how much more can we gain if we seek God daily throughout our lifetime?Though Satan dislikes this deep communion and though it is not easy, those who seek and dwell in God’s presence are deeply cherished by Him.

The Blessing of Dwelling in God's Presence

For example, among all his sons, Jacob loved the one who sat near him the most. Though the rest of his sons worked hard in the fields and were indeed loved by their father, it was the son who stayed close to him that he cherished most deeply. In the same way, our Heavenly Father loves those who desire to listen to His voice in a special way.

In this present time, there are many who preach the gospel — some distribute tracts, others deliver sermons, pray fervently, or sing songs of worship. But few truly dwell in God's presence. Yet, this is one of the greatest practices. From childhood, many of us have not been taught the discipline of waiting on the Lord.

The book of Revelation was revealed to John during such a time of seeking and dwelling in God's presence. It was during these moments that he received visions, promises, teachings, and songs directly from God. Though such experiences might not come instantly, the rays of God’s presence will surely fall upon us daily when we remain in His presence.

At first, you might not see any immediate benefit to this practice. It may feel as though nothing is happening. But continuing to seek God even when He seems unseen is of far greater value than merely working for Him in visible ways. Over time, this will bring immense spiritual gain.

Those who dwell in His presence must cultivate faith, devotion, and patience. They must overcome laziness and complacency. Only by defeating these inner obstacles can one experience the glory of God's presence and testify of it with conviction. Even spending just an hour each day in this practice is sufficient to begin with — the rest is up to your desire.