As the sparrow finds a home and the swallow a nest to settle her young, my home is by Your altars, Lord of hosts, my kind and my God! Happy are those who dwell in Your house! They never cease to praise You.
(Psalm 84:4-5)
A well known proverb tells us that “Home is where the heart is.” While our ultimate home is heaven, we need in this life to have a place that connects us to those people and things that are dear and familiar. In this sense, home is, most commonly, one’s domicile. But the idea of home is bigger than that. Peter mentioned in yesterday’s post that the smells in his friend’s kitchen reminded him of his home in Taiwan. Physical cues are powerful, and they have an important role to play in our spiritual lives as well.
A number of years ago, I was difficulty praying. Whenever I would try to pray, I would be assaulted by distractions. This went on for several weeks. Frustrated, I confided in a friend, who taught me the importance of place in prayer. I was encouraged to not only set aside a specific time to pray each day, but to also establish a place to pray. It took a while, but over time, when my senses perceived the time and place, my mind and body somehow “knew” it was time to pray, and I was able to settle myself more easily and enter into a place of quiet within myself. This "tip" has been of great value considering how much noise invades my life every day. (Now you know why I haven’t clamored to get a BlackBerry!)
Just as an athlete trains his body using specific workout routines, so too we must train our spirits in the practice of prayer. When we come with our whole heart to this familiar place devoted to intimacy with the Almighty, we then can truly say with the Psalmist that our home is by God’s altar. Isn’t that the best possible home we can have on this side of eternity?
Prayer Request:
For those suffering from distractions, both in life and in prayer, that impede them from enjoying the loving embrace of God.
Prayer:
Heavenly Father, we thank You for calling us into union with You. Help us to always make our home in Your holy presence, and to make a home for You in our hearts. We ask this through Christ our Lord, Amen.
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2 comments:
Thank you very much Michele.
Creating the right "habits" in our lives so that our spiritual life can prosper, particularly to make a "home" in our hearts to be in God's presence can be so very valuable to us.
Michele, thanks for this beautiful encouragement. It warms my heart when I read your prayer to "make our home in Your holy presence, and make a home for You in our hearts." Amen!
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