Practice of the Presence of God 2

I know of no greater practice in the spiritual life than the practice of the Presence of God.  When we "dwell in the shadow of the Most High" (Ps. 91), suddenly everything in Scripture comes alive and makes sense in a way that never happens when we are dwelling in the shadow of our own minds and thoughts.  Isaiah speaks for God:  Your ways are not my ways, says the Lord, nor are your thoughts my thoughts.  Only God can explain His ways to us and enlighten our minds to His thoughts.  But that requires that we dwell in His presence and be mindful of Him at every moment of our lives.

I remember when I was twenty and thought I knew everything, thought I was sophisticated and beyond naivete....  but the truth, as I see it now, was that I was beyond innocence.  Someone I knew at the time suggested that we live each moment in the presence of God.  I did not hide my exasperation at her stupidity -- thinking it were actually possible for us to do that.  Now I know that she was so spiritually advanced that she could actually live in God's presence all the time.  She died very young, no older than 30 years old, and I believe she, like Enoch, walked with God, and He took her home with Him.  It has taken me 40 years to come to the point of believing her words, and to begin practicing living in the presence of God.  I wish I had listened earlier to her wisdom.

In all thy ways, acknowledge Him, says the writer of Proverbs, and he will direct thy paths.  So much of Scripture tells us the same thing, if we but read it rightly.  All of it is telling us that God will inhabit our souls and direct our lives if we but allow Him to do so -- and not just in the large issues, but in the smallest details of everyday life.

Jesus told us plainly that He and the Father would come and live in us, and that the Spirit would guide us into all truth.  As I embrace these words more and more, I discover daily how true they are and how much direction I receive, not from my own thoughts, but from the Wisdom of God.  The words of Jesus Calling for June 19 say it very well:

I am the firm foundation on which you can dance and sing and celebrate My Presence.

This is my high and holy calling for you; receive it as a precious gift.

Glorifying and enjoying Me is a higher priority than maintaining a tidy, structured life.

Give up your striving to keep everything under control-- an impossible task and a waste of precious energy.

My guidance for each of My children is unique.  That's why listening to Me is so vital for your well-being.  Let me prepare you for the day that awaits you and point you in the right direction.  I am with you continually, so don't be intimated by fear.  Though it stalks you, it cannot harm you, as long as you cling to My hand.  Keep your eyes on me, enjoying peace in My presence.

 

My one desire in life is to take the hand of all those I love (and those I do not) and walk with them into the Presence of God.