I find that the older I become, the greater the level of intensity of my desire to be in the presence of my King, Jesus Christ. My desire to seek His face occupies the back of my mind, claiming attention every day. This comes from the idea of not wanting to be surprised when I come before Him.

His proximity to me, or my proximity to Him, is the most essential part of my life.

This is an attempt to describe the importance proximity has on our relationships. Not just with Jesus, but as someone who carries the residual effects of being in His presence, of experiencing the unique nature of a Thin Place.

In Celtic tradition, a thin place is a location or moment where the veil between the physical world and the spiritual realm (or “otherworld”) is believed to be exceptionally thin and permeable. In these “thin places,” the distance between Heaven and Earth is said to collapse, allowing for a heightened sense of connection to the divine or supernatural.

Key characteristics of thin places in Celtic belief often include:

• “They are seen as thresholds where the visible and invisible worlds are close, with a permeable boundary between the earthly and spiritual realms.” (Google AI description)

The Proximity of Holiness is a phenomenon that describes the presence of the Holy Spirit in a location or on an individual, which has a profound and overwhelming effect on those who come close to that place or person.

There are examples of this that I have read about over time which fascinate me. Places like Ffald y Brenin in Wales, or the Hebrides during the three-plus years of transformational revival in the late 1940s and early 1950s. Or even that heavy sense of God’s presence you might feel walking into a church service.

Here is a description of this phenomenon, as provided by a Google AI search.

“The term ‘the proximity of Holiness’ refers to a state or experience of being near or in a close relationship with what is considered holy, which is often associated with the divine or sacred.”

As much as I am fascinated by this aspect of the heaviness of God’s holiness, which I have encountered during prayer, the key understanding is proximity. A prime example of this is when Moses encountered the burning bush and was allowed to see God’s back. He was physically affected to such an extent that his face shone with the residual glory of God. This frightened the people when he returned from the mountain.

The key word in this saying is “Proximity.” The closer one comes to the presence of God, the more one feels the effects of that proximity. In some cases, His presence affects those around us. Similar to how people find themselves drawn to places like Ffald y Brenin. But there are two aspects to proximity. These are special times when God seems to break through or is closer than normal. What we would call a sacred place.

In other words, we become walking Thin Places.

One of my favorite memories — and something I have become aware of since this happened — is the effect that His lingering presence has on animals. In my case, it was a dog on a walk with its owner.

I was almost finished with my morning prayer walk when I encountered a woman with two good-sized dogs on their leashes. As I approached her and her dogs, I said hello and prepared to head downhill towards home. But one of her dogs pulled on the leash and began to get extremely excited, wiggling its behind and jumping around with a silly smile on its face. It was as if I were a long-lost friend.

I stopped and began to pet the dog, and it did everything but jump into my arms.

The dog’s joy and enthusiasm were infectious, and I found myself laughing at the incredible display of happiness.

The dog’s owner, who was desperately trying to get her dog to settle down, was saying, “This is incredible! He’s never done anything like this before!”

The dog eventually settled down after I gave it a thorough scratching and some words of affirmation. After speaking with its owner for a few minutes, I continued my trek home.

As I descended the trail a bit, I told the Lord that I knew His presence was what had caused that. I also realized that my prayer focus during the walk was to seek His face and His presence, as it had been a while since He had surprised me with one of those special moments.

Since then, I have experienced this multiple times. I have also seen the opposite effect of my presence on dogs, where they seem to be repelled by my presence.

Another aspect of proximity is our closeness to His presence. How much time are we spending pursuing Him? Where is our passion for Jesus’s presence? Are we relentless and sacrificial in pursuit of Him?

Do you know the voice of the Shepherd? Is it the first thing on your mind to seek Him every day?

The closer we come to Him, the more we carry the atmosphere of His Grace.

However, the purpose of this pursuit is not the things that come from that pursuit but Him to the exclusion of everything else. I am not waiting until I end up in His presence in Heaven. I need to draw as close as I can here on Earth as it is in Heaven. The Word says that if we seek Him with everything we have, He will be found. The purpose of the pursuit is to fall in Love with Jesus. Nothing is more important than this. Everything else flows from this pursuit and the proximity we find in the process.

All of the effects in this world that result from that pursuit are dependent on the Love of Jesus.