Redeeming our lifestyle: Awakened to God’s Presence
“Earth's crammed with heaven, and every common bush afire with God, but only he who sees takes off his shoes; the rest sit round and pluck blackberries” ― Elizabeth Browning
If we stop, look and listen, there is more going on in life. Earth is crammed with heaven. Every common bush afire with God.
“Moses was tending the flock of Jethro his father-in-law, the priest of Midian and he led the flock to the far side of the wilderness and came to Horeb, the mountain of God. There the angel of the Lord appeared to him in flames of fire from within a bush.
Moses saw that although the bush was on fire it did not burn up. So, Moses thought, I will go over and see this strange sight - why the bush does not burn up! When the Lord saw that Moses had gone over to look, God called to him from within the bush ‘Moses! Moses!’ And Moses said ‘here I am’. ‘Do not come any closer’ God said, ‘take off your sandles, for the place you are standing is holy ground.” (Exodus 3:1-5)
Moses made a move, he attracted God’s attention. God called to him. Moses! Moses! ‘Here I am’ he replied. And so, a seemingly mundane morning brought a miraculous moment!
Think about your everyday life. Think about where you will be this time tomorrow … tomorrow is a gift from God from the God who hears the cry of his people, the God who sees, the God who knows, the God who calls you by name. The God who reaches right into the reality of our daily life, to know and be known.
Many want to escape from their current reality … consumerism disciples us into thinking that where we are right now isn’t enough, it sows a dissatisfaction and falsely promises that the solution is to consume more, buy more stuff, to live for the next holiday, or relationship, or find the perfect job.
Even in church culture, the next big conference or concert or course promises to deliver an encounter with God that will change your life! We can be so distracted by chasing after making a memory somewhere else that we miss the moment we are in.
The place where you are standing is holy ground. Earth is crammed with heaven. Every common bush afire with God. There is an altar in the world. In your classroom, in your lecture hall, in your surgery, in your bedroom, in your study, at your desk, in your kitchen, at your sink, at the supermarket, in your street, in the seemingly ordinary mundane moments of your day. Earth is crammed with heaven, every common bush afire with God.
As Brother Lawrence spent time at the kitchen sink, he discovered something remarkable. His story has helped millions of others do the same as he shared his experience in a simple book called: "The Practice of the Presence of God”.
‘Let us become more aware of your presence’ acknowledges that God’s presence is already here, the bush is burning if only we will stop, look and listen. How do I become more aware of God’s presence in my daily life? how do I notice the burning bush? How do I notice when I am drifting away from journeying with Jesus in my day? How do I notice when I am drawing near to him?
Prayer of Examen
This is reflective prayer that helps us look back on our day with God. It trains us to be more aware of God in our everyday life. Making the ordinary extraordinary and the mundane miraculous. You never need to miss God again when you train yourself to his presence. It’s an ancient prayer developed by Saint Ignatius.
It involves taking just 5 minutes toward the end of the day.
There are 4 parts to it:
Replay the day
Recall significant moments
Rejoice and repent
Repeat
Here is a deeper explanation of this powerful prayer.
Any practice can feel a bit forced at first but over time, as we practice, it becomes more natural.
Just as God called to Moses from within the bush, I believe that this week God will call to you as well. From the things that surround you, from the simple, seemingly ordinary things that you see and experience each and every day. So, may you tune into his voice. And as you make a move, may the ordinary become extraordinary and the mundane, miraculous as you become more aware of his presence.
Here is an inspirational song on hearing God afresh in our everyday life.
Simon Shaw
worldhorizons.co.uk
