Practicing God’s Presence

“Even though I walk through the valley of the shadow of death, I will fear no evil, for you are with me; your rod and your staff, they comfort me.” Psalm 23:4 (NIV)

In the Seventeenth Century, a monk named, Brother Lawrence, worked in the kitchen of the Carmelite Monastery in Paris, France. He is remembered for his daily intimacy with God in the midst of menial tasks within the confines of the monastery. Brother Lawrence learned to practice the presence of God. In one of his letters he wrote, “I turn the cake that is frying on the pan for love of him, and that done, if there is nothing else to call me, I prostrate myself in worship before him, who has given me grace to work; afterwards I rise happier than a king. It is enough for me to pick up but a straw from the ground for the love of God.”

Whether you are occupying the kitchen of grief or delighting at the table of abundance, God is with you. His abiding presence will sustain you and comfort you as you walk through the valley of the shadow of death. God will shepherd you through the adversity and bring you to the place of peace. You will never walk alone. God is with you. While you were sleeping, God was working.

Will you choose to practice the presence of God today? Regardless of your physical location or your emotional reality, you can practice God’s presence throughout the day by acknowledging His perpetual love, faithfulness, and grace. Elevate your awareness of God’s abiding presence by praying without ceasing (1 Thess. 5:17). Enjoy uninterrupted communion with God.

Where you go this day, God is with you. Whatever comes your way, God is with you. Practice God’s presence and feast on His continuous provision of comfort and assurance.

Pursuing God,

Stephen Trammell
Executive Pastor
Follow me on twitter at: http://twitter.com/stephentrammell