Practicing the Presence

Today's devotional practice is called "Practicing the Presence." It is giving emphasis to the presence of God in our lives throughout the day. The idea is that at different times and between activities a prayer could be said or a pause for listening could be had. One thing that the book said that I liked was when it quoted from C.S. Lewis in Letters to Malcolm: Chiefly on Prayer: "We may ignore, but we can nowhere evade, the presence of God." Immanuel means "God with us." When Jesus left this earth he sent to us the Holy Spirit so that we will never be alone. From the beginning of time, when God walked in the Garden of Eden with Adam and Eve, God has always been with us. It is in practicing setting aside little moments to reflect on God's presence that we can renew our hope, joy and peace throughout the day.

Reflection Questions

Q: Where do your thoughts go when they aren't focused on work or diverted by amusement?
What do these thoughts reveal about your concerns and priorities?
A: When I'm left alone with my thoughts, they often go to what God wants me to do and whether I am attentive to that or not. A lot of times I also start to think of all the things that I have to worry about and I struggle to remember that God is who he says he is. These thoughts reveal to me that God is the highest priority in my life and that my concerns are mainly that I will be wise enough to know when it is that I should act and when it is that I need to, as God says, "Be still, and know that I am God."

Q: What is it like for you when God shows up at an unexpected moment?
A: It is definitely refreshing as a reminder that God is living and active in my life. Sometimes I forget how much He loves me, and I feel like I'm on my own. But I'm not, and sometimes He just has to remind me of that.