THE GLORY OF YOUR PRESENCE
By Pastor Jack Hyles (1926-2001)
(Loyal pastor of First Baptist Church of Hammond, Indiana for over 42 years)
(In the author's book, BLUE DENIM AND LACE, there is an article entitled, "The Glory of Your Absence." This is the other side of that article.)
Your presence was lovely; his eyes met mine in devotion; his mind met mine in admiration; his heart met mine in love; his soul met mine in dedication, and there we stood, your presence and I, heart to heart, mind to mind, and soul to soul. He was all of life's joys blended into one perfect moment.
Then suddenly all that could leave of you left and all that could be separated from me was gone. I could not hear your voice, nor see your face, nor watch your grace.
It was then that I met your absence. We, your absence and I, spoke of your presence. Your absence was kinder in his words concerning your presence than your presence had been when he described your absence. Yet, though I had dreaded to meet him, your absence spoke so well of you I found the presence of your absence very interesting.
We talked and talked about you and your presence. Your absence described your presence in terms of which I had never dreamed. He described your eyes as being even more devoted than I remembered, your mind as being even more admiring and admirable, your heart as being even more loving, and your soul as being even more dedicated.
"'Tis true," I said to your absence, whom I was beginning to like more and more, "his presence has no absence. Yet you have exaggerated, absence. You are just trying to make the heart grow fonder."
So in the absence of your presence I thought of you as I grew fonder of the presence of your absence.
I wondered why your absence was absent when your presence was present. Yet, sure enough, your absence had become absent when I again stood in your presence.
Here I stand in the glory of your presence only to find that your absence has adequately described the beauty and glory of your presence and that now your presence is even more glorious than it was before I met your absence. You are exactly all that your absence said that you would be. Your soul has grown lovelier, your heart has grown bigger, your face fairer, and your mind keener. Yes, I still far prefer your presence, but no longer dread an occasional, brief visit with your absence, for I lov4e to hear him talk of you as we did all the night through.
So, though I shrink from the absence of your presence, I delight periodically in the presence of your absence, for we both see you through eyes of love.
So, in the glory of your presence, there is always the presence of your glory. Yet, in the glory of your absence, there is no absence of your glory.
Hence, we are never absent, just more present. When your absence and I looked at you we found your presence had never left.
Say, if that be so, your absence was not really absence, but it was really omnipresence, for we are knitted souls! Whether in the body or out of the body, your presence is never absent and your absence is never present and we are always one because of the GLORY OF YOUR OMNIPRESENCE!
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