The Presence of God...

[LeeJUk]

Hey guys,

Well I have 2 questions to ask you all....

1) Do you subjectively experience the presence of God on a regular basis?
2) If you answer yes to the above, how is this done?

Please don't give a simple answer like "bible reading and prayer or going to church", go in-depth, how do you prepare yourself, what sort of things do you go through in prayer? what approach do you take to the bible to have this experiential communion with God?

Regards,

Lee

 

[Prufrock]

Lee, until one more experienced and able comes along, I hope this suggestion will suffice: consider the words of Paul to the Corinthians -- "We walk by faith, and not by sight." Though the term "presence of God" could be taken in diverse senses, it is too much connected with Charismatic and "non-ordinary means" understandings. The fact of the matter is that Christ has ascended into heaven, and it is now through the bond of the Spirit that we now have fellowship or communion with him. We do not seek a visual ("by sight" -- or any other senses, for that matter) encounter with God, but we seek him through his Word and his other ordinary means, whether Public or Private (prayer and the sacraments), wherein he hear his Word and receive it in faith. We should not be seeking some mysterious "presence" of him apart from this.

 

[Mushroom]

When I was a charismatic, many years ago, I perceived the 'warm fuzzies' I would occasionally experience during a particularly emotional sermon or time of prayer to be the presence of God. Sometimes now I will experience the same, and count it to be just that, the 'warm fuzzies', an emotional reaction to what I'm hearing or reading or during prayer. I don't count it a bad thing, but I don't consider it to be any more the presence of God than at any other time.

I have learned over time that I am always in the presence of God - living coram Deo - regardless of place or occasion. I talk to God in my mind pretty constantly, and notice it if there has been any considerable amount of time where my thoughts have not gone to Him. In fact yesterday I know I spent about an hour without really acknowledging His presence as I was going about my business, and that bothered me.

So I would say that subjectively, I find it strange to not be experiencing the presence of God, and its not so much something I 'feel' as something I know.

But I'm no theologian, just a layman of limited understanding or ability, so I'm not sure my subjective perspective will be of any help.