Theology Thursday 13 - RSVP to God

In our Crazy Love study group we were talking about how we experience God and what that looks like for different people. We discussed how we often limit experiences of God to these big emotional moments that seem to happen often in the Bible but not very frequently in our own lives. When we limit our experience of God to huge, flashy moments, we miss out on the opportunity to experience God on a regular basis, in the pedestrian things of everyday life.

To experience God in our normal, everyday lives, I have often talked about inviting God to be a part of our day. Wherever we’re at, whatever we’re doing, we can invite God to be a part of that. If we’re driving to school, we can invite God to be a part of our commute. If we’re working in retail, we can invite God to be a part of our interactions with customers. In our group, however, my friend, Ron, suggested that it was ridiculous to think that we can invite God to be someplace since he is already there. God is everywhere, so how can we invite him to be someplace he already is? Instead, Ron suggested that we should change our perspective and thought process: instead of inviting God, into our day, we should make the effort to sit before God in all that we do.

We can sit before God on our drive to school and we can acknowledge that we are before the throne of God while working; we just have to remember that we are always in the presence of our omnipresent God. In our discussion we used the analogy of listening to a lecture: the lecture is going on whether or not we pay attention, so it is up to us to listen, respond and engage with the lecture. The same can be said about God: he is always present so it is up to us to listen, respond and engage with him.

I am not entirely sure what entering the presence of God in our daily tasks looks like, but I would like to find out. I do know that it can begin with those spiritual disciplines that are already a part of our lives. I know that now, before I sit down to read my Bible, I want to take time to truly enter God’s presence and acknowledge that I am sitting before the creator of the universe, reading his word. When I pray I don’t want to begin with a haphazard greeting, but I want to picture myself stepping before the throne of God, acknowledging is infinite greatness but knowing that he has invited me there.

How do you step into God’s presence in your daily tasks?