1 Thessalonians 5:17 gives a command that seems impossible and has troubled many people. How do we pray without ceasing when many things require our attention through the day? And how do we pray while we sleep? This command seems impossible. This has always troubled me. The more I tasted the sweetness of God’s presence in worship, the more I hated to go back to life as usual. I wrote last year about that struggle. I guess this has been a journey over several years and God was marking me then with the desire to be with Him at all times. This summer just added one clue as to how that verse is lived out practically.
“The most holy and necessary practice in our spiritual life is the presence of God. That means finding constant pleasure in His divine company, seeking Him humbly and lovingly with Him in all seasons, at every moment, without limiting the conversation in any way.”
I’ve been reading the book, “The Practice of the Presence of God“ by Brother Lawrence. He talks about making it a habit to talk to God at all times. Not in formal prayer, but a simple turning of our attentions to Jesus in a loving way. “Whatever we do, even if we are reading the Word or praying, we should stop for a few minutes- as often as possible- to praise God from the depths of our hearts, to enjoy Him there in secret.” The Spirit of God is inside us, with us at all times. It is tragic that we live most of our lives ignoring Him when He is right there so desiring to be with us! How can we forget Him?
Brother Lawrence said that the times he was busy at work were hardly different from the times he spent in prayer. During both, he was in God’s presence. This really touched me, that it’s not only possible, but also an extremely necessary practice. I thought it was more of an option, but my very life depends on staying in God’s presence. As soon as we depart from God, His life is snatched from us to some measure. That life is too precious to me, so I choose to stay in His presence. I’m still far from “praying without ceasing,” but the amount of His presence I’m in now is wonderful! At any moment when I feel weak, I can turn to Him and immediately His joy and peace flood over me. I am depending on His grace for my strength in every way. If He were not faithful to come through for me, I don’t know where I would be. But praise Jesus because He is faithful!
September 18, 2007 at 12:58 pm
“The more I tasted the sweetness of God’s presence in worship, the more I hated to go back to life as usual. ”
Girl, I am with you on that!!! Trust me.
Lately I have been feeling that He is my obsession. I haven’t suceeded in establishing a permanent face-down prayer time, but I think on the Lord all the time.
Mostly I struggle with communing with Him when I am busy. So lately I have been praying that He would teach me to stay with Him even when I am with people and doing stuff. He is my life, the very reason I live, and I hate how I forget Him. It’s a head-forgetting, not a heart-forgetting, but it is definitely something I have been working on.
I have been singing these lines, and I haven’t formally written it into a song yet, but it is this:
Object of my affection
Aim of my devotion
Make my life an obsession for you