Hosting His Presence: Beholding
At Antioch, we talk a lot about our mission: to be a people who encounter God, come alive in who He’s called us to be, and live on mission together.
But at the center of all of that is this simple, often overlooked truth:
The goal of the Christian life is not just to believe in God but it's to walk with Him.
It’s not just about attending church, avoiding sin, or trying to be a good person. Those things matter, but they’re not the end goal.
The goal is a life that is fully alive to God—moment by moment, day by day.
Because the reality is this:
The life God has for you is found in living a life aware of Him.
You Move in the Direction You’re Looking
There’s a simple principle that shapes our lives more than we realize:
You move in the direction of your focus.
Think about teaching a kid to ride a bike. You can give all the instructions in the world—“stay balanced,” “keep pedaling”—but if they fixate on the one tree in the field… they’re heading straight for it.
The same is true for us.
If we focus on what we lack, we drift toward discontentment
If we fixate on comparison, we lose joy
If we dwell on temptation, we move toward destruction
But the opposite is also true:
When we fix our eyes on God, our lives begin to move toward Him.
David: A Life Marked by Focus
In Psalm 27:4, David writes:
“One thing I ask from the Lord, this only do I seek:
that I may dwell in the house of the Lord all the days of my life, to gaze on the beauty of the Lord and to seek Him in His temple.”
David’s life was far from perfect.
He experienced rejection, pressure, failure, and even deep moral compromise. Yet Scripture describes him as “a man after God’s own heart.” Why? Because despite everything, his focus kept returning to God.
David understood something we need to learn: What you gaze at will shape who you become.
In 1 Samuel 30, David faces one of the lowest moments of his life.
His city is destroyed. His family is gone. Everything he built is burned. And on top of that—his own men are ready to turn on him.
And in that moment, David does something simple—but powerful:
“But David found strength in the Lord his God.”
He didn’t spiral. He didn’t numb out. He didn’t give in to fear.
He looked to God.
Because when everything around you is unstable, where you look determines how you stand.
The Way We Host His Presence
So how do we actually live this out?
Start your day pointing in the direction you want your life to go.
A daily rhythm of being with God isn’t about checking a religious box. It’s about anchoring your life in His presence before anything else has a chance to shape you.
Here’s a simple framework to begin:
1. Worship Him
Don’t just listen to but engage in it.
Sing. Lift your voice. Express something to God. Worship shifts your focus from yourself to Him.
2. Behold Him
Slow down and intentionally reflect on who God is.
Picture His greatness. His authority. His nearness. Let your perspective be shaped by His reality.
3. Listen to God
Ask God, “What do You want me to know today?”
Then pause and let Him speak.
4. Read the Word
Scripture is how we learn the voice and heart of God.
It grounds us, corrects us, and strengthens us for whatever we’ll face that day.
5. Talk to Him
Be honest.
Talk to God about your fears, your hopes, your needs. Prayer draws us into relationship with Jesus.
7 Day Challenge
This week, don’t overthink it. Just start.
Take 7 days and begin each morning by turning your attention toward God. If you build your life around these rhythms, something begins to shift.
Because at the end of the day: Your life will move in the direction of your focus.
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If you haven’t yet joined in on the Build the House campaign, this is a great time to prayerfully ask how God might be inviting you to give. Every gift, every step of faith, is helping lay the foundation for what’s to come.