July 13, 2018 • Life for Leaders
For you, LORD, have delivered me from death,
my eyes from tears,
my feet from stumbling,
that I may walk before the LORD
in the land of the living.
Psalm 116:8-9
Are you living in God’s presence all the time?
In a sense, this is a silly question. If God is always present, always aware, then you are living in God’s presence all the time. Period.
But I’m wondering more about your intentions, your awareness. Are you intentionally living in God’s presence, aware that God is with you at all times? God is always with us, but are we always with him?
The author of Psalm 116 recognizes that God has delivered him from death, not just as a divine favor, but so that he “may walk before the LORD in the land of the living” (116:9). Being in God’s presence is not just something saved up for us in heaven. It’s something we can experience in this life, in “the land of the living.” And it’s something we should experience in this life.
Living intentionally in God’s presence isn’t just something we do during religious observances and in our private lives. Yes, we walk before God when we gather with others for worship, when we work for justice, when we spend times with our families and close friends. But, like the writer of Psalm 116, we have been saved by God so that we might live consciously in his presence and for his purposes every moment of every day. We are to walk before the Lord at home and at work, in church and on the soccer field, as we volunteer in soup kitchens and as we labor in companies that make soup or markets that sell soup.
Awareness of God’s presence gives new and profound meaning to every part of life. It transforms the ordinary into the extraordinary.
Something to Think About:
What helps you to be aware of God’s presence in your life?
Are you ever aware of God’s presence as you’re doing your work?
If so, what difference does this make? If not, why not?
Something to Do:
Do something to remind you through the day today that you are in God’s presence. You might set a reminder on your watch or phone. You might attach a colorful sticky note to your computer screen with the letter ‘G’ on it. See what happens if you are intentional about living in God’s presence today.
Prayer:
Gracious God, how I thank you for the reminder of Psalm 116. I want to walk before you each moment of each day. I yearn to learn how to be aware of you, not just when I’m focusing fully on you, but also when I’m doing all the other things in my life.
Help me, Lord, to live in your presence when I’m sorting through my email. Help me to live in your presence when I lead a meeting. Help me to remember you when I’m doing the parts of my job that are boring. Help me to be aware of you when I’m talking with a friend. Help me to attend to you when I’m having dinner with my family… and in all the other actions of daily life. Amen.
Explore more at The High Calling archive, hosted by the Theology of Work Project:
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Dr. Mark D. Roberts is a Senior Strategist for Fuller’s Max De Pree Center for Leadership, where he focuses on the spiritual development and thriving of leaders. He is the principal writer of the daily devotional, Life for Leaders, and the founder of the De Pree Center’s Flourishing in the Third Third of Life Initiative. Previously, Mark was the Executive Director of the De Pree Center, the lead pastor of a church in Southern California, and the Senior Director of Laity Lodge in Texas. He has written eight books, dozens of articles, and over 2,500 devotions that help people discover the difference God makes in their daily life and leadership. With a Ph.D. in New Testament from Harvard, Mark teaches at Fuller Seminary, most recently in his D.Min. cohort on “Faith, Work, Economics, and Vocation.” Mark is married to Linda, a marriage and family counselor, spiritual director, and executive coach. Their two grown children are educators on the high school and college level.
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Thanks for this reminder, Mark. I find I’m trying to be more intentional about staying connected with God during the work week, praying for more of the Holy Spirit and praying for God’s blessing and favor on my various work projects (and trying not to ruminate or worry about them).
That’s an excellent reminder Michael! How can we be mindful of walking with God throughout our day if we are worrying about whatever challenge we are facing? If we turn it over to Him, we must have FAITH that he will work it out for our good.
Amen to that. Thanks, Natalie.