Brennan Manning in his book Abba's Child: the Cry of the Heart for Intimate Belonging, shares what it means to intentionally live in the presence of Jesus Christ:
"Living in the awareness of the risen Jesus is not a trivial pursuit for the bored and lonely or a defense mechanism enabling us to cope with the stress and sorrow of life. It is the key that unlocks the door to grasping the meaning of existence. All day and every day we are being reshaped into the image of Christ. Everything that happens to us is designed to this end. Nothing that exists can exist beyond the pale of His presence ('All things were created through him and for him' - Colossians 1:16), nothing is irrelevant to it, nothing is without significance in it."
So this begs the question, how aware am I of the risen Christ? Does He fit in to my schedule only if I don't have anything else more "important" to do? Is He only a safety net for times when I need extra comfort or peace? My friends, Jesus Christ is not a means to an end - He is the means and He is the end. How I choose to live in the awareness of his presence affects everything that I am. He is the key, period. Not the key to holiness, not the key to righteousness or joy, He is. I am nothing without Him, and everything I say or do without the blessing and agreement of His presence, is in vain. And each day I live for Him He is shaping me into the precious image of Himself, drawing me closer to the Father.
How aware are you of the risen Christ?
"Since, then, you have been raised with Christ, set your hearts on things above, where Christ is, seated at the right hand of God. Set your minds on things above, not on earthly things. For you died, and your life is now hidden with Christ in God. When Christ, who is your life, appears, then you also will appear with him in glory." -Collosians 3:1-4
