God With Us. God With Me.
Christmas Eve is one of my favorite days of the year. It is always a reminder about the humble miracle of Jesus' birth - God's gift to us - He came to be with humanity - to walk our walk. They say He was called Immanuel (Hebrew) signifying "God with us".
This has been so meaningful to me for much of my life, because there have been times when I really yearned for a companion - someone who would always be there for me, someone I could do life with, someone who'd show up when I needed them to, someone who understood. There was a time in my life when I had to honestly assess where I was seeking that companionship because it wasn't working out. There was a point where man/woman failed me (as all human beings will do because we're fallible creatures who are not perfect) and I had to look to someone who had always been there - I just hadn't been super aware nor had I really practiced the fact that He was present daily.
C.S. Lewis writes, "We may ignore, but we can nowhere evade, the presence of God. The world is crowded with Him. He walks everywhere incognito." GOD WITH US. GOD WITH ME. For so many years it was something I said with my lips and something I knew from church, but I had not practiced the very fact that He was closer than I knew. He was my constant companion. And really, He's probably the best of the best companions of all time to have with me.
A book I would highly recommend is the Spiritual Disciplines Handbook: Practices That Transform Us by Adele Calhoun. It is a great guide to a bunch of spiritual disciplines that you can learn more about and start to incorporate into your daily everyday life. In the book, she points out that Practicing the Presence is a discipline that can draw you nearer to God. It is something you can start today. It will increase your awareness. It may be a challenge at first. It may be new for some of you. But, let's try. Let's go there.
How often do you talk with God throughout the day? This type of conversation, even silent conversation between your heart and Him are powerful. This is not necessarily the sit down, bow your head and close-your-eyes type of prayer. This is always. Throughout the day. Practicing that He is who He claims to be - Immanuel - God with us.. Let's start to pay attention. And see what happens.
Brother Lawrence wrote a book titled, The Practice of the Presence of God. He explains that this spiritual discipline requires that we "make it our business to rest in Christ's holy presence...by a habitual, silent, and secret conversation with God.” That's prayer - talking to God just as you are whatever you're doing - acknowledging that He is there...listening...and He cares.
Reflection:
-Assess your life honestly.
Throughout the day are you aware of God's presence?
Do you talk with Him throughout the day?
What does it mean to you that He is a "constant companion"?
What do you desire from a companion?
Are there reasons in your life that you have doubted His presence/companionship?
Do you appreciate discipline in life? Do you see its benefit?
How do you plan to practice the presence?
If you desire, journal about your experience this week as you begin to more regularly acknowledge that God is near.
Journeying Together,
C