The Presence of God (2)

Be careful what you wish for..

In 2006 I reflected on my ambition to become a mystic:
Mystic…one who recognizes the presence of God in the mundane. A person who can sense the power and presence of God at work; who has the ability to see the real hand and power and presence of God. Someone who is so connected to the spiritual world that it changes how they live in the physical world. (Josh Graves)
Running in the background of my spiritual journey in the intervening years that ambition has been mostly unfulfilled.
Last fall there was an opportunity to participate in a men’s discipleship group studying The Practice of the Presence of God by Brother Lawrence¹https://www.amazon.com/Practice-Presence-God-Brother-Lawrence/dp/0883681056. Having read the book years earlier I recognized an opportunity to renew my ambition to become a mystic, or more realistically, become mystical. Responsible for leading the discussions, in my usual “grab hold and get it done” mode, I immediately set about planning and organizing. Below is the syllabus for our study:

Goal: Become better disciples of Jesus.
Expectation for participants:
Read “The Practice of the Presence of God” before first meeting.
Participate weekly in 1-1.5 hour conversations, prayer and study of discipleship, using “The Practice of the Presence of God” as a discussion starter.
Outline (Preliminary to be revised as necessary as dictated by study and discussions)

My experience studying the presence of God with the men’s group was akin to discovering the back of an old wardrobe is a door into another world. I was gripped with surprise and unexpected encounters.  As an example, the following citations from the book produced some early consternation:

“The practice of the Presence of God is the most holy, the most all-encompassing, and the most necessary practice of the spiritual life. It trains the soul to find its joy in His Divine Companionship. He told me that it all consists in one hearty renunciation of everything that does not lead to God. In this manner we develop the practice of continual communion with Him in freedom and simplicity.“

“He surrendered himself to an attitude of faithful devotion and insight rather than reasoning and thinking.“

“There is no sweeter and delightful life than that of continual communion with God. Only those who experience this and practice it can comprehend it. Yet I do not advise you to undertake this practice from that motive. We should not seek pleasure in this exercise. Instead let us do it out of love and because God desires it.”

The Practice of the Presence of God

Presumptions of my syllabus were immediately challenged, requiring me to rethink my whole approach to a study of the presence of God. It also dawned on me that I was facing the possibility of an unfamiliar and frightening reality,—personally experiencing the real presence of God. I was acutely aware, as one author noted: “Secularism does not deny that God exists, but rather states that He has His place and does not necessarily affect other areas of our lives.” ²Everywhere Present -Fr Stephen Freeman applied to me.

Further engagement with scripture and writings about the presence of God only heightened my dismay.

You have searched me, Lord, and you know me. 
You know when I sit and when I rise; you perceive my thoughts from afar. 
You discern my going out and my lying down; you are familiar with all my ways. 
Before a word is on my tongue you, Lord, know it completely. 
You hem me in behind and before, and you lay your hand upon me.
Such knowledge is too wonderful for me, too lofty for me to attain. 

Psalm 139:1-5

The spiritual life begins when one wakes up to the presence of God and experiences this reality for oneself. The omnipresence of God is more than a theological doctrine; it is experiential reality. The spiritual life begins in earnest when one wakes up.
This type of awakening is the heart of Christianity. It moves us from the realm of beliefs and ideas, emotions and rituals, into the Presence of God.
Awakening is always experienced as a gift. It is not something we can work at and achieve by our religious efforts or moral living.
We all have sinned when it comes to believing that we can define God. No one understands God.
But we can experience God. By this I mean that we can be aware of the presence of God. As
soon as we try to describe this awareness in ideas and words, then we fall short.

Marshall Davis

 “Holy, holy , holy is the Lord Almighty; the whole earth is full of his glory.” 
At the sound of their voices the doorposts and thresholds shook and the temple was filled with smoke. “Woe to me!” I cried. “I am ruined! For I am a man of unclean lips, and I live among a people of unclean lips, and my eyes have seen the King, the Lord Almighty.”

Isaiah 6

…mystery isn’t something that you cannot understand—it is something that you can endlessly understand! There is no point at which you can say, “I’ve got it.” Always and forever, mystery gets you!

Richard Rohr

Suspended between— the greatest need of my life ³ “The greatest need in our life is the presence of God.”–Paul Smith — and —the prospect of being naked in the presence of my Creator, from whom nothing is hidden— describes the paradox of the presence of God.

Succeeding posts will address various aspects of practicing the presence of God.

STILL ON THE JOURNEY

• 1
  https://www.amazon.com/Practice-Presence-God-Brother-Lawrence/dp/0883681056
• 2
  Everywhere Present -Fr Stephen Freeman
• 3
  “The greatest need in our life is the presence of God.”–Paul Smith