To pray daily, to meditate daily in the presence of God, is a hard thing to do. Our minds trick us into thinking that such practices and life-habits are silly, unnecessary, of limited value to just a few. And we end up so often putting it off because our mind convinces us that it is hard to do and that we will get to it later, or at least we will get back to something else that will take care of our relationship with God. More than anything else, we tend to give up easily and we choose instead to escape to something else, something mindless and a waste of our time.
For years as a Pastor I led junior and senior high students to take time in silence, to shut off their phones, and to sit quietly without speaking a word, meditating on a story from the Scriptures. Then we would sit together and share what we “heard” in the silence. We shared what we felt God was saying to us. Let me tell you that the reaction of young men and women to sitting in solemn, prayerful silence was life-changing. Their personal reflections brought the lights down! And without fail they always all agreed that at the end of this exercise it was so inviting and such a powerful experience to embrace a period of such silence in their life. “Wow, this was cool! We should do this again!” was their common response.
Dear friends, how is it possible that young students, whose lives are so defined by social media and many hours every day with their faces glued to their cell phones and to the internet — how is it possible that such moments of silence before the Lord could touch them so deeply? It is because their hearts gazed on the Lord, and He spoke to them and touched their hearts. That is the grace, the blessing, the most fundamental purpose of life: to love God and to worship God.
So I invite you to practice the same thing, and for the same reasons. Take time today — do not put it off to later, or to tomorrow — and sit in silence with the Lord. Do it now! Focus the gaze of your heart of the Lord who is decidedly present. And listen to Him. Love Him. Worship Him. Clear your mind and simply be in His presence. And keep it up every day!
Lord Jesus Christ, Son of the Living God, have mercy on me a sinner.
From the Bible:
“Let the words of my mouth and the meditation of my heart be acceptable in your sight, O Lord, my rock and my redeemer” Psalm 19:14.
“I will meditate on your precepts and fix my eyes on your ways” Psalm 119:15.
“This Book of the Law shall not depart from your mouth, but you shall meditate on it day and night, so that you may be careful to do according to all that is written in it. For then you will make your way prosperous, and then you will have good success” Joshua 1:8.
“Finally, brothers and sisters, whatever is true, whatever is honorable, whatever is just, whatever is pure, whatever is lovely, whatever is commendable, if there is any excellence, if there is anything worthy of praise, think about these things” Philippians 4:8.
“My daughter and son, be attentive to My words; incline your ear to My sayings. Let them not escape from your sight; keep them within your heart. For they are life to those who find them, and healing to all their flesh” Proverbs 4:20-22.
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