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And God raised us up with Christ and seated us with Him in the heavenly realms in Christ Jesus, in order that in the coming ages He might show the incomparable riches of His grace, expressed in His kindness to us in Christ Jesus. Ephesians 2:6-7

Although I have been a Christian for most of my life and have been very involved in Christian ministry for many years, I have never found it easy to practice the daily presence of God or to have a disciplined daily routine of prayer. In the past this used to cause me deep despondency, but God’s hold on me is much deeper and I have learned to trust His faithfulness more than my attempts to be ‘spiritual’!

The following truths are some that have helped me through what I would describe as the journey of a prodigal Christian – the journey of one who is prone to wander. I pass them on in this devotional in the hope and prayer that they might be equally of benefit to you in your journey.

• God is always present and active in my life, whether or not I see Him.
• Coming to recognise and experience God’s presence is learned behaviour; I can and must cultivate it.
• My task is to meet God in this moment. I am always tempted to live “outside” this moment. When I do that, I lose my sense of God’s presence.
• Sometimes God seems far away for reasons I do not understand. Those moments, too, are opportunities to learn.
• Whenever I fail, I can always start again right away for God does not dwell upon my regrets but upon my potential to thrive in Him.
• No one knows the full extent to which a human being can experience God’s presence.
• My desire for God ebbs and flows, but His desire for me is constant.
• Every thought carries a “spiritual charge” that moves me a little closer to or a little farther from God.
• Every aspect of my life – work, relationships, hobbies, errands – is of immense and genuine interest to God.
• My path to experiencing God’s presence will not look quite like anyone else’s.
• Straining and trying too hard to be “Christian” do not help.

Let us practice the foundation truths of life by:

• Praising God for His constancy and faithfulness to us. Above all, He is worthy of our worship;
• Ask God to help us see Him in the day-to-day moments of our lives, not simply when we remember or when we are too busy or too distracted. Let us become more conscious of Him in every breath.