In The Presence Of The President

Yesterday, the President of the United States, President George W. Bush, spent most of his day in Northwest Arkansas. As any region of the country should feel when the President comes, Northwest Arkansas was honored and thankful for his experience here. His day was spent surveying the region, and everything climaxed with his economic speech and Question/Answer time at the Hammond Convention Center in Rogers.

I was asked to be a part of the 300 people who were able to hear this speech and talk with the President. For security purposes, I had to arrive 90 minutes early and then basically just waited for the arrival of the President. Since this is the way it is done and needs to be done, I was hesitant at first, wondering if I could give at least three hours to this event on a Monday. I made the decision to go and knew it was a good decision.

I was five to ten yards from the President the entire time he spoke and dialogged with the people. I was not aware it was going to be a Q and A with the President until asked what question I was going to have for him. I determined that my questions would only be asked in a private setting with him (even though I knew I would not have it with him), but public questions to the President from me seemed unnecessary. However, as he was leaving I did shake his hand, telling him, “I pray for you every day,” and he responded, “Keep on, it is working.” You know, that is the only message I really wanted to deliver to him.

I have a few lessons I want to share with you today from this experience that have spiritual implications for us:

• I was honored to be in the presence of the President and I should be EVEN MORE HONORED to be in the presence of God daily.
• I had to have an invitation to be in the presence of the President, and it was a limited invitation; however, the invitation is universal to every person the world to be in the presence of God.
• I had to have VIP seating extended to me to be close to the President, while the blood of Jesus gives me direct priority for a personal experience with God daily.
• I altered my day dramatically to be in the presence of the President. . . and even though I practice daily being in the presence of God, I thought of how many people do not alter any part of their day to be in the presence of the real King of Kings, Jesus Christ.

You see, my experience of salvation with Jesus Christ that I had 36 years ago today gives me the privilege to be in the presence of God daily . . . what an honor and a real privilege.

Experience His presence today . . . you do have direct access any time, any day, anywhere.