It was raining as I woke up on Tuesday morning. Winter is creeping up on us. It was chilly and still black night outside the window. When the world outside is still sleeping, I find it extremely hard to wake up. But I knew that I had to take the dogs for their walk - rain or shine. I haven't walked them for 2 days and (as border collies tend to get without exercise) Luka was becoming increasingly hyperactive and restless. Throwing sad glances my way each time she realized that "the walk" wasn't happening.
And I just felt like pulling the duvet over my head and staying in bed. But walk we were going to do...
Before the dreaded walk, still warmly tucked under the covers, I read a chapter from the book, Unmerited Favor by Joseph Prince, called Practicing the Presence of Jesus.
The chapter starts with the following: "Let's look at some practical keys on how you can begin to experience God's manifested presence in your life by practicing His presence. It is one thing to know theoretically that God is with you, but to experience His presence, you have to increase your consciousness of His presence by practicing His presence! This is not something difficult. In fact, it should be rather effortless..."
As I am reading this, my heart sinks.
I have read and heard and been given advice about my walk with God - by many well meaning Christians. The thing that usually gets me down is that, most of the time, you are given a message but are not told how to implement it.
Maybe that person doesn't know how to do this. Maybe you are expected to know how to do it all by yourself. But I usually end up feeling discouraged and defeated because it just seems like another idealistic theory that seems impossible to apply in your life.
Immediately I think: Off course I want to experience God's presence, but HOW do you practice it??
The fantastic thing about this book is that it is written as a practical guideline and the author actually does give you realistic, everyday examples of how you can practice God's presence.
Surprisingly I am given several beautiful visual images of God's presence at work in my life...
As I am contemplating how to best practice God's presence, I get the distinct sensation that Someone is walking beside me. I even turn around to confirm this, only to see that it is still just me and the dogs.
And I recall that I have been told many times to breath in His presence.
So I inhale deeply, thinking that I am breathing in God's presence. And, as I exhale, that I am - at the same time - breathing out the fear and doubt and unbelief that I am so desperately trying to get rid of.
I am almost shocked when an excessively large white cloud of condensation escapes my mouth, as my warm breath hits the cold air. Only this once. After I have been walking for some time.
In this instance I could see what I had breathed out, but I couldn't see what I had breathed in. It requires faith - the knowledge that the air you breath is life giving.
For the Spirit of God has made me and the breath of the Almighty gives me life. Job 33:4 NLT
And I am in awe of the simplistic beauty of it.
After we have walked most of our usual route, I think that it hasn't started raining again - after all. The rain jacket could have stayed in the cupboard. And immediately I make the connection that so often I worry about things that could happen. But never do. It might. And it might not.
But there is no sense in worrying about what if. Nothing good can come of it. If we cast our cares upon the Lord, we do not have to worry about a thing, because He is with us.
Therefore humble yourselves under the mighty hand of God, that He may exalt you in due time, casting all your care upon Him, for He cares for you. 1 Peter 5:6-7 NKJV
Verse 7 in the Amplified Bible says: Casting the whole of your care [all your anxieties, all your worries, all your concerns, once and for all] on Him, for He cares for you affectionately and cares about you watchfully.
As I am caught up in my thoughts, we suddenly come to an abrupt halt. Luka had walked around the wrong side of a tree, leaving Jasper and me on the one side of it and her stuck on the other side, with her leash wrapped around it. Still she tries to bear ahead. And then looks up at me expectantly with big brown eyes when she finally realizes that she is stuck. My heart melts as I bring her leash around the tree to set her free.
Just shortly after, Jasper's leash gets wrapped around his neck - like he so astoundingly often manages to do. Even though he is almost strangling himself, he still insists on moving forward at a rapid pace. Until I somehow manage to unwrap his leash on the go, so that he can breath again.
Aren't we so much like this?
Insisting to go ahead with whatever we are doing, even though it is not necessarily in our best interests. And when we realize that we have made a mess of things, we look to God to fix it. Some times we don't even realize the danger, as we struggle ahead, choking ourselves in the process.
But the awesome thing about it, is that God loves us - no matter what. Even if we have made a mess out of things. He loves each one of us personally.
But the very hairs of your head are all numbered. Do not fear therefore; you are of more value than many sparrows and not one of them falls to the ground apart from your Father’s will. Matthew 10:29-31 NKJV
