“All consists in one hearty renunciation of everything which we are sensible does not lead to God; that we might accustom ourselves to a continual conversation with him, with freedom and in simplicity. That we need only to recognise God intimately present with us, to address ourselves to him every moment.” —From The Practice of the Presence of God (pp. 19–20) by Brother Lawrence
I thrive on the promises of God. They give shape and definition not only to my life in general but also specifically to my days. To practice the presence of Jesus is to wake up every morning and choose a Bible promise to live on for the day. Just one promise. Let’s. say I wake up feeling weak and in need of strength. I could choose 2 Chronicles 16:9: “For the eyes of the Lord range throughout the earth to strengthen those whose hearts are fully committed to him.” Then, throughout the morning, I am aware that God is working to strengthen me. Or if I’m in physical pain, I could choose Psalm 34:19: “The righteous person may have many troubles, but the Lord delivers him from them all.” Then, all day long, I rely on God to deliver me from discouragement and defeat. He promises he will.
This is the Christian way to live. A daily promise keeps me from falling into an ambiguous, willy-nilly approach to life. A daily promise becomes a plumb line for my attitudes and actions. Starting every morning with a Bible promise adds such value to my day, helping me make the most of opportunities, build character, and glorify God. So practice the presence of Jesus by abiding in one of his promises: “For no matter how many promises God has made, they are ‘Yes’ in Christ. And so through him the ‘Amen’ is spoken by us to the glory of God” (2 Cor. 1:20). So select a promise, and seize the day.
Meditate: Memorize three promises this week. They’ll be at hand when you need them.
Excerpted from The Practice of the Presence of Jesus by Joni Eareckson Tada. Copyright © 2023 by Joni Eareckson Tada. Published by Multnomah. All rights reserved. No part of this excerpt may be reproduced or reprinted without permission in writing from the publisher.
