You make known to me the path of life;
you will fill me with joy in your presence,
with eternal pleasures at your right hand. Psalm 16:11 NIV
O LORD, three long months had separated us since we had last seen each other face-to-face. As we exited the car, she flew out of the house, jumped into my arms, and smothered me with hugs and kisses. Later, she parked herself on my lap, her eyes beaming with a look of pure joy as she gently stroked my face. My 4-year-old granddaughter Mimi was so happy just to be with me once again. I was so happy to be with her, too!
Ever since then, I’ve been wondering.
Wondering if I am that overjoyed just to be with You.
Do I find delight in reading Your Word each day?
Do I cherish this quiet time with You or do I rush through it as just another chore to check off today’s to-do list?
What about Sunday mornings?
When that alarm goes off, do I grumble about rising early, wishing I could pull the covers over my head and fall back asleep ?
Am I anticipating communing with You in joyful worship with my church family, or am I just going through the motions of my usual Sunday routine?
God, I would like to think I always look forward to my time with You, but in all honesty, You know that is not true. Forgive me for the days when my heart is rebelling and I avoid Your presence. Please forgive me for ever viewing time with You as my Christian duty, rather than the blessing it is to be in the presence of the One who loves me beyond my comprehension.
Let me relish being in Your presence always. Help me to notice You in the small moments of my day, not only during the times I schedule to be with You in study and worship.
When I see the colorful birds flitting in and out of my apple tree—remind me You are the creator of all beauty.
When You stop my car mere inches from crashing into the parked vehicle in front of me—let me thank You as my protector.
When You reveal where that lost hearing aid was hiding—help me to praise You for Your care over all the details of my life.
When that hearing aid still works after going the washer and dryer for the 2nd time—let me exalt Your grace and goodness!
O God, may my heart overflow with the joy of Your constant presence with me.
In the name of the One who blesses me with joy,
Amen.
For further prayer and meditation:
“We cannot avoid the perils and snares of which life is full without the actual and unceasing help of God; we must then pray for it unremittingly. How can we pray to Him unless we are with Him? How can we be with Him unless we are often thinking of Him? And how can we think of Him often unless we make a holy habit of so doing? . . . We must know before we can love; and to know God we must often think about Him. And when we love Him, we shall think about Him all the more, ‘for where thy treasure is, there is thy heart also.’ Just consider it carefully.”
Brother Lawrence of the Resurrection, “The Practice of the Presence of God,” modern translation by Donald Attwater
“Draw Me Into Your Presence” by Teresa Muller, Maranatha Singers, Album Praise 16, published by Lourdz, Oct. 14, 2008
