Psalm 71:3 - Repeat Visits

When I was a teenager, my mom gave me the tiny, classic book by Brother Lawrence, "Practicing the Presence of God." Later, I had a professor who consistently urged his students to pursue "Constant Conscious Communion with Christ."

Try as I might, though, I don't know if I've ever spent every waking moment focusing my thoughts entirely on God. It's not for lack of love. I love my wife, too... but I don't think about her every moment of the day. Responsibilities and chores--along with more pleasant distractions outside of work--occupy my thoughts. And if you read Brother Lawrence's book, he learned that washing pots and pans could be an act of intimate worship--more so than formal hours of prayer.

Nevertheless, how much does God expect us to be thinking about Him? After all, He is the center of the universe, he loves us, and he deserves our full attention.

At the same time, the King James Version of Psalm 71:3 says,
"Be thou my strong habitation, whereunto I may continually resort."

The NIV translation is, "Be my rock of refuge, to which I can always go."

My "going to Him" or "continually resorting" to Him as my refuge is really just acknowledging that He has been with me all along. I may not take ten minutes to pray in the middle of any given task. I think God is okay with the fact that sometimes, I simply become aware of His presence, and find joy in the refreshment of it.

Lord God, whether the "To Do" list for today is long or short, there are a lot of things crowding into my day--planned and unplanned. Whether it's in the middle of an intense task, or during a downtime, prompt me to think of You. Remind me that You have never left me, just as You promised. (Hebrews 13:5) In Jesus name, Amen.