Tagged: God’s presence

O LORD, you examine me and know me. You know when I sit down and when I get up; even from far away you understand my motives. You carefully observe me when I travel or when I lie down to rest; you are aware of everything I do. Certainly my tongue does not frame a word without you, O LORD, being thoroughly aware of it. You squeeze me in from behind and in front; you place your hand on me. Your knowledge is beyond my comprehension; it is so far beyond me, I am unable to fathom it. Where can I go to escape your Spirit? Where can I flee to escape your presence? If I were to ascend to heaven, you would be there.… Read More

O LORD, you examine me and know me. You know when I sit down and when I get up; even from far away you understand my motives. You carefully observe me when I travel or when I lie down to rest; you are aware of everything I do. Certainly my tongue does not frame a word without you, O LORD, being thoroughly aware of it. You squeeze me in from behind and in front; you place your hand on me. Your knowledge is beyond my comprehension; it is so far beyond me, I am unable to fathom it. Where can I go to escape your Spirit? Where can I flee to escape your presence?   Psalm 139:7 We are journeying verse by verse through Psalm… Read More

I just finished Shûsaku Endô’s terribly beautiful book, Silence, about two missionaries who go into 17th century Japan to find their beloved mentor, who is reported to have apostatized under unbearable persecution. It was assumed, even by Endô’s publishers, that Silence was about the silence of God. Yet, for the rest of Endô’s life as he lectured about the book, he stated, “I did not write a book about the silence of God, I wrote a book about the voice of God speaking through suffering and silence.” I did not find God silent in Endô’s book. I found Him speaking generously, tenderly to Father Rodriguez, especially in his most excruciating moments. But perhaps the problem is in our definition of the silence of God. There… Read More

  But you, LORD, are a shield that protects me; you are my glory and the one who restores me. Psalm 3:3   You hem me in behind and before, and you lay your hand upon me. Psalm 139:5  My prayers have been compartmentalized for so many years. Jesus, heal me. Father, protect me. Holy Spirit, help me. The realization is dawning in my soul like a sunrise that I am encircled. I am surrounded by the Father, the Son, and the Holy Spirit. The Three in One are never alone and therefore I am never alone.  God exists in community; therefore so do I. The concept of God’s encircling is everywhere in Scripture. Psalm 3 describes the Lord as a shield who protects us.… Read More

Written from a hidden ranch deep in the Kenyan mountains as my husband and I sat in Jesus' presence for examen among the wild creatures.   The Wildness of Your Presence   Sometimes Your presence is a wild place. Air thrumming with life Wildness As if I emerged into a sacred wilderness Where You and Your wild things Commune.   I am the tame one here, The one who thinks Instead of abiding, Who sits Instead of flying.   The common Kenyan pigeon Perches nearby Curiously appraising my composure, Inviting me to decompose.   Goats meander through A dry river bed, Their bells tinkling As they forage along the ravine. Your food is there waiting for them.   Monkeys chatter, Clamber along the acacia, Stopping… Read More