Presence of God

Divine Love and Presence

Presence of God

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Moses was frightened and daunted by the task God set out for him: to return to Egypt as an old man, to confront the authorities, and to lead the Hebrew people to a promised land. He questioned God about this choice, desperately trying to find a way to elude the mission.

Right away God gave him the answer that is meant to calm all anxieties: “I will be with you” (Exodus 3:12). This answer is wonderful, but it is mysteriously very hard to hear, and if we hear it one day, it escapes us the next. But it is the answer to all our fears. And living by this truth is the mark of a person of faith. In the words of Cardinal John Henry Newman: “A true Christian may almost be defined as one who has a ruling sense of God’s presence within him” (Parochial and Plain Sermons, 5:16)

The divine presence overshadows life in a Benedictine monastery. “We believe that the divine presence is everywhere and that in every place the eyes of the Lord are watching the good and the wicked” (Rule of Benedict, 19:1). Benedict goes…

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Comments (Join the discussion)

  1. frannie80's avatar
    frannie80

    Lord, as we seek You daily, may we experience your peace in our lives. Amen

  2. thankgod's avatar
    thankgod

    God, pls help me to ALWAYS remember wat u said 2 Moses (Eziekel 3:12)
    ‘That u r always wit me’ - dat means dia is notin I accomplish witout u.
    If I would always remember this & believe it, my life wld b filled wit peace & gratitude.
    .

  3. thankgod's avatar
    thankgod

    Exodus 3:12

  4. evangelartist's avatar
    evangelartist

    It should be obvious to most people who have studied mystical theology that there are varying “degrees” of the “presence” of God. I for one experienced a very pronounced “presence” of God in 1974 in - of all places - a college psychology classroom. I had been sitting there in a back side-row desk feeling greatly troubled and upset that the professor had just told us that we had to “integrate into our thinking” what amounted to secular humanistic teaching- and suddenly I was conscious of the Personhood of God within me literally overwhelming my consciousness with a love and peace absolutely beyond comprehension and words. I received no message, no words. I knew that I was not losing my sense of personal identity but I was losing awareness of my body and so my motor skills were failing… I was instantly fearful of falling out of my desk (and people would think I was on some sort of drug, and I have never taken illicit drugs or smoked marijuana), so I (sadly) resisted the Lord’s tug on me enough to put my head down on the desk and only partly give way… basking in this true Presence of God. “He” was with me (I sensed neither “He” nor “She” but not “it” either” but somehow I know this Presence was the Trinity) for perhaps five minutes and then faded… The one thing that stood out in my mind was that the human mind has no way of conceiving what I experienced ... God in His presence itself is ineffable. Unconceived, God is inconceivable. I am now fond of saying I don’t believe in God, I KNOW he exists. But count yourselves blessed who have not experienced Him and who believe in Him!

  5. Sparta Gabe's avatar
    Sparta Gabe

    I too had that feeling of God’s presence driving to pick up my family and granddaughter to go to breakfast. It was the most peaceful feeling I’ve ever had. There was nothing wrong with anything in my life. Unfortunately I had to start thinking about if I was on time, and other things in my life. I lost that feeling by focusing on worldly things. I am weak in the flesh but strong in the heart. God doesn’t give me these opportunities very often so I have to remember to stay in His moment.

  6. 007772450's avatar
    Kasey C.

    Jesus, here I am…I come to do your will. Let your most Holy Will be mine ever this day and let my will follow yours and agree most perfectly with it by the life I lead today. Amen.
    I agree that a great source to feel God’s presence is in praying the divine office daily. A website that helped me feel God’s presence no matter where I am, (given I have an internet connection) is (http://www.universalis.com/USA/-600/today.htm) Everything we have at our finger tip to pray earnestly even in our offices, cubicles at work or simply just relaxing at home on the couch, or even in the Chapel for perpetual adoration. God bless!

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