This Sunday morning, I woke up with an unusual sense of Peace. Not wanting to wake up my husband, I took a cup of tea and sat in the study. Sunday mornings are often the most peaceful time. Why is that? Perhaps it is the lack of traffic zooming down the street. Sunday morning is simply a slower and quieter time for folks in my neighborhood. I’ve experienced this same quietness before. The stillness is similar, but on this particular Sunday, there’s an extra sense of hope and delight – a “smile from heaven” if you will.  

Tranquility, that’s the feeling. I feel tranquil and at peace.  For many years, my Sunday mornings were busy and hectic. I was on the worship team for many Sunday services, and when I eventually joined the pastoral staff, Sundays became work days. Ironically, I have rarely experienced this kind of stillness and peace during Sunday services. There were always so many things to do and so many people to see.

Looking back now, I think we have “missed the mark” somehow.  The stillness and clarity I’m experiencing are what we were aiming for. Yet, instead of promoting an atmosphere of peace, we were fostering the opposite.  Some days we felt God was distant, so we tried hard to get His attention. Little did we realize that He is always Present to us. We already have what we asked for.  When we gather, we can move forward and simply enjoy the fullness of God together.

Abiding and enjoying God’s Presence is also worship.  We are called to enter into that space where time stands still and all of the thoughts plaguing us about life in this world are silenced. We are not meant to live in the atmosphere of busyness. We are created for fellowship with our Creator, and to have communion with the Divine.  It is in His Presence that we breathe, move and have our being. Alas, we are no longer back in the Garden of Eden. We live in the here and now. Then, how can we maintain that mindset of Emmanuel – God with us, as we move about our day to day routines? That is my prayer and question for this day.

For further reading:
The Practice of the Presence of God – Free Kindle edition.