Late the other night I received a text from a person I was going to take to dinner the following day. The text was brief but deep:

“Thank you, Dr. Sunquist,

Sadly, a member of our church had a daughter pass away, and the only time that I could meet with him is tomorrow when we were supposed to have dinner.

I am sorry, but I will need to cancel our meeting.”

After looking at the text, I headed out of my hotel room to walk to the nearest Starbucks for a cup of coffee, Bible reading, and prayer. Most of the mile walk I was thinking of the times I have had to cancel plans because of a death or tragedy: We are called to “bear one another’s burdens. . .”

Ministry is like that. We make plans but must hold them all lightly. If we don’t hold them lightly—always ready to apologize as we respond to God’s promptings—we are not reflecting the humility and attentiveness of Christ who took note even of a bleeding woman who touched him amid a large crowd. He altered his plans to be with her, even if momentarily.

James says, “Why, you do not even know what will happen tomorrow. What is your life? You are a mist that appears for a little while and then vanishes. Instead, you ought to say, ‘If it is the Lord’s will, we will live and do this or that’” (4:14-15, NIV).

I also pondered the importance of that little word: “with.” There are many other prepositions that relate or pertain to relationships (after, near, beneath, under, over, beyond), but with carries an added intimate sense. It does not denote anything other than presence. There is no suggestion of power or superiority or inferiority. “With” says it all—we are together, we are equal, we are in the presence of one another. Added to that, it is a remarkable reflection of who God is. Yes, with reminds us that God is with us, that we are made in his image, and that we are made to be with others, even as God is with us.

God reassures us of his presence many times in Scripture. As Moses expresses his doubts and fears concerning his high and dangerous calling to speak to Pharaoh, God says, “I will be with you. And this will be the sign to you that it is I who have sent you: When you have brought the people out of Egypt, you will worship God on this mountain” (Exodus 3:12). There is no promise of miracles, only the promise of presence, and that is enough.

Earlier in Genesis we read that Jacob was also reassured when he was headed to Egypt when God spoke to Jacob in a vision: “‘I am God, the God of your father,’ he said. ‘Do not be afraid to go down to Egypt, for I will make you into a great nation there. I will go down to Egypt with you, and I will surely bring you back again’”(46:4). God’s “with-ness” and the people’s fear and insecurity are major themes in Scripture, which point to a major characteristic of God. Presence. The Divine Presence is enough.

But God’s with-ness is not a static or sedentary characteristic. God does not say to us, “Stay still, and I will be with you.” No, God is present with us “on the move.” In most instances, the reassurance of God’s presence occurs when God’s people are being sent to go forth and act.

When Jesus calls the disciples to himself, he is at the same time sending them out. “He appointed twelve that they might be with him and that he might send them out to preach and to have authority to drive out demons” (Mark 3:14,15). I find this so interesting. He is calling them to himself, to be with him, and in the same breath he is sending them out as his ambassadors. That captures what it means to be a disciple: We are called to be with Jesus and to accept our commission, then to be sent out by Jesus. Even so, as we know, we are not being sent away from Jesus; Jesus remains with us, accompanying us wherever we go: “Go and make disciples of all nations, baptizing them in the name of the Father and of the Son and of the Holy Spirit and teaching them to obey everything I have commanded you. And surely, I am with you always, to the very end of the age.” (Matthew 28:19-20)

So, this friend who had to cancel our appointment was aware of God’s call to be with the brokenhearted. But I suspect he was also aware that he himself was not alone but that Christ was present with him in his own ministry of presence.

We come to be with Christ and are sent to be with others as a sacred presence.

Dr. Scott W. Sunquist, president of Gordon-Conwell Theological Seminary, is author of the “Attentiveness” blog. He welcomes comments, responses, and good ideas.