I was listening to a speaker last night on contemplative prayer, and she closed one of her sessions encouraging everyone to spend 30 minutes or so in silence practicing the reality of God's presence.
What is wrong with this? Why is this impossible?
God is perfect, and "the reality of His presence" needs no practicing!
Though it sounds intellectually and mystically impressive, it actually does not mean anything, because there is no way to practice something perfect. God's presence is perfect. How about practicing staying away from sin or practicing one day of turning the TV off and reading a book for Christian growth or the Bible, or how about practicing one day of staying away from some addiction and turning to God instead and His Word to fill us up? That makes sense, but it is not praying according to the truth to ask God to help us "practice the reality of Your presence with us."
He must laugh. For me, it has come naturally to spend time without background noise when I am thinking about something or when I am working or reading...these things should come naturally as the Holy Spirit is at work in our lives. When I feel His presence, there is still nothing for me to practice. The Holy Spirit is a gift, and He cannot be "practiced" into existence in our lives. The Bible says He gives the Spirit without measure. (John 3:34)
It takes no practice. He is who He is and does not need our practice.
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It would be better to let Our Lord Jesus Christ live through us and change us.
However, whatever we focus on will influence our spirits. Click here to reply to this post
Re: The Futility of Practicing Gods Presence
Posted On: 01/16/07 12:48:13 AM
Age 47, IA
I wished that I could have sat in the shadow of a Godly (earthly)father .To "practice" with him , the disiplines of being and learning to be a Godly man. I have no idea what the context of the session was , and possibly the word "practice" could have been "acknowledge" .Unfortunately , many believers must be led by the hand for (to long) many years before they partake of the deep mysterys of our Lord.
It is good to be on gaurd of misleading words and titles . Click here to reply to this post
Re: The Futility of Practicing Gods Presence
Posted On: 01/12/07 07:57:15 AM
Age 59, VA
I did not read the article or hear the sermon you refer to, so I don't know the context you heard, but: Practicing the presence of God, to me, has always meant STOP everything else I am doing - including blocking out "the background noise" you refer to, i.e., turn it OFF - and dwell on Him, singularly. Scriptures tell us, "selah - meditate on Him".
Meditation translates (loosely) to "ruminate". Spend time soley with God on your mind, "chewing over and over on thoughts of Him" - thinking about Him and His majesty, His Glory, His Handiworks, His Love. Make Him real. THEN, go out and PRACTICE HIM - i.e., DO WHAT HE SAYS DO, but in His power and through His Presence.
It's easy to mock this type nutty-sounding "practice", but, try it. The world could use the example. Click here to reply to this post
Re: The Futility of Practicing Gods Presence
Posted On: 01/12/07 03:26:04 AM
Age 62, AL
I like the term 'Practicing the Presence of God' and the classic book of that name by Brother Lawrence, a monk of a few centuries back. The term suggests to me that I constantly keep in mind that I am not my own, but was bought with a price; that life is not divided into the sacred and the secular, but that all of life is to be lived for God's glory, whether I am preaching or digging a ditch. We could say it is the walking and living out Romans 12:1. -- Blessings, David Click here to reply to this post
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