How do you live in God's presence? How do you detect His unseen hand on your shoulder and His inaudible voice in your 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, you don't have to go that far. With your head still on the pillow and your eyes still closed, offer God the first seconds of your day. The prayer is not lengthy and far from formal. Depending on how much sleep you had, 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" (Psalms 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?
Source: Susan Niklas at www.Xianz.com/Redhead
