One of the deepest desires of the human heart is simply to be with someone who loves us.

Not to perform.

Not to impress.

Not to pretend.

Just to be with them.

Think about it: the moments that shape us most in life are rarely the moments when we accomplish something impressive. They are usually the moments when we simply share presence with someone we love.

A walk with a friend.

A quiet conversation late at night.

Sitting beside someone who understands us.

Presence changes us.

And when Jesus invites us into discipleship, the invitation is not first to do things for Him, but to be with Him.

Before the preaching.

Before the serving.

Before the mission.

There is presence.

In John 15 Jesus gives one of the most important invitations in all of Scripture:

“As the Father has loved me, so have I loved you. Now remain in my love.”

Another way to hear this is simply:

“Be with Me.”

To follow Jesus is to learn to Be with Him, to remain in His love, to practice His presence.

But what does that look like practically?

Today we will look at two simple practices that help us remain with Jesus: