By Glenn Miller
GOD’S WORD: “This is how we know we belong to the truth, and how we set our hearts at rest in His presence whenever our hearts condemn us. For God is greater than our hearts, and He knows everything.” – 1 John 3: 19-20

If you’re like me, you probably go about your day in accordance to agendas, calendars, schedules, and responsibilities. There’s a time for this and a time for that; a time to work and a time to play; a time to run and a time to stroll; a time for others and a time for yourself. Time allocation is something that is practically a mandatory requirement these days! But realizing this begs the question, What are we allocating our time towards? Is our time spent productively and efficiently? Do we need to spend more time doing this and less of that? Whatever the answer is to our pondering, you may perhaps be like me and conclude that our time spent in communion with God is something that is also allocated.

For many years, the time I gave God was merely what was left over after I had completed my own self-centered agenda. It was a few seconds here or a few minutes there and was usually a request for something without much praise or thanksgiving. God was “approachable” when I needed to converse with Him, but that the communion with Him somehow officially came to an end when I said “Amen;” as if it were some “Roger-Willco and out, good buddy!” Yet the neat thing about spiritual growth is that God loves us enough never to leave us in the same place. Through trials, circumstances, and the diligence of friends and family who love me and support my growth, I have come to understand EXPERIENTIALLY that God is constantly with me, twenty-four hours a day, seven days a week. It is still my choice, however, whether or not I acknowledge His presence. Therein lies the rub.

In his book, The Practice of the Presence of God, Brother Lawrence tells of his own dichotomy and struggles in his effort to constantly acknowledge God’s presence in all things and at all times. The world offers many distractions away from our communion with God. Even now, I find my prayer time interrupted by forces of the outward world. Sometimes these forces are distractions by others and sometimes it is merely my mind wandering off to different thoughts and concerns. It isn’t long into my quiet time that I’m reminded of things I need to get done or people I need to contact. All of a sudden, the outward world has made its way into my inner sanctum and seeks out to destroy the peaceful tranquility of my communion time with God. So, what is one to do?

Brother Lawrence cites it best in suggesting that communion with God is not merely at those quiet times when all is peaceful and serene, but must be at ALL TIMES, including those times during the course of the day when it is the noisiest or the most distracting. In fact, before Brother Lawrence would go about doing whatever menial task of the world was before him, he would pray the following prayer:

Since Thou art with me, and I must now, in obedience to Thy commands, apply my mind to these outward things, I beseech Thee to grant me the grace to continue in Thy presence; and to this end do Thou prosper me with Thy assistance, receive all my works, and possess all my affections.

Emmanuel. God is with us. All the time.
Shouldn’t that make a difference?