Practicing the Presence
by Max Lucado
How
do I live in God's presence? How do I detect his unseen hand on my
shoulder and his inaudible voice in my ear? A sheep grows familiar with
the voice of the shepherd. How can you and I grow familiar with the
voice of God? Here are a few ideas:
Give God your waking thoughts. Before you face the day,
face the Father. Before you step out of bed, step into his presence. I
have a friend who makes it a habit to roll out of his bed onto his
knees and begin his day in prayer. Personally, I don't get that far.
With my head still on the pillow and my eyes still closed, I offer God
the first seconds of my day. The prayer is not lengthy and far from
formal. Depending on how much sleep I got, it may not even be
intelligible. Often it's nothing more than "Thank you for a night's
rest. I belong to you today."
Give God your waiting thoughts. Spend time with him in
silence. The mature married couple has learned the treasure of shared
silence; they don't need to fill the air with constant chatter. Just
being together is sufficient. Try being silent with God. "Be still, and
know that I am God" (Ps. 46:10 niv). Awareness of God is a fruit of
stillness before God.
Give God your whispering thoughts.
Through the centuries Christians have learned the value of brief
sentence prayers, prayers that can be whispered anywhere, in any
setting.
Imagine considering every moment as a potential time of communion
with God. By giving God your whispering thoughts, the common becomes
uncommon. Simple phrases such as "Thank you, Father," "Be sovereign in
this hour, O Lord," "You are my resting place, Jesus" can turn a
commute into a pilgrimage. You needn't leave your office or kneel in
your kitchen. Just pray where you are. Let the kitchen become a
cathedral or the classroom a chapel. Give God your whispering thoughts.
And last, give God your waning thoughts. At the end of the
day, let your mind settle on him. Conclude the day as you began it:
talking to God. Thank him for the good parts. Question him about the
hard parts. Seek his mercy. Seek his strength. And as you close your
eyes, take assurance in the promise: "He who watches over Israel will
neither slumber nor sleep" (Ps. 121:4 niv). If you fall asleep as you
pray, don't worry. What better place to doze off than in the arms of
your Father.
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