Practice Jesus’ Presence and ‘Smell’ Like Him

Then one of the servants answered and said, “Look, I have seen a son of Jesse the Bethlehemite, who is skillful in playing, a mighty man of valor, a man of war, prudent in speech, and a handsome person; and the Lord is with him.”

1 Samuel 16:18

David is a wonderful example of someone who talked to the Lord and practiced His presence all the time. Even as a young teenager taking care of his father's sheep in the fields, he would be singing psalms and hymns to the Lord and playing his harp.

In 1 Samuel 16, the Bible records that King Saul was very unsettled, and his servants told him that he was being troubled by a distressing spirit. They then advised him to bring David before him to play the harp for him, saying that evil spirits departed when David played the harp. One of the servants gave a glowing description of David as someone “who is skillful in playing, a mighty man of valor, a man of war, prudent in speech, and a handsome person; and the Lord is with him.”

Do you know why David could cause Saul to become refreshed just by playing his harp? Do you know why David could have such accolades heaped upon him? I believe that the key is in the last part of the verse: “the Lord is with him.”

A few years after Wendy and I got married, an incident happened that I will never forget. I was on my way home one day and I had stepped into a cramped elevator. A group of ladies squeezed into the same elevator as it stopped on another floor and boy, their perfumes were overpowering!

Anyway, almost dizzy from near-suffocation, I got home and kissed Wendy with my usual “Hello darling, I’m back.” She looked at me and said, “That’s a female fragrance. I know that fragrance.” I told her, “Listen, darling, listen. . . honestly, just now. . .” And that’s why it’s so important to have trust in your marriage!

I am sure that you have experienced something similar before. Have you ever been in a room filled with cigarette smoke? You may not smoke, but your hair and clothes will smell of smoke even after you have left the room. In the same way, you cannot be in the presence of the Lord without His glory, His majesty, His beauty, His power, His love, and His peace rubbing off on you. You begin to “smell” like Jesus, be powerful like Him, and be filled with peace like Him!

No wonder Acts 4:13 records this about Peter and John: “Now when they [the rulers and elders of Israel] saw the boldness of Peter and John, and perceived that they were uneducated and untrained men, they marveled. And they realized that they had been with Jesus.”

Beloved, choose to prioritize the presence of the Lord wherever you are. You will experience the undeniable evidence of His presence in your life.

This devotional is taken from the book 100 Days of Favor—Daily Readings from Unmerited Favor.