Christmas Presence

From Sacred Space last week.

"What is present to me is what has a hold on my becoming."

These words are so mild that the enormous impact they carry is not obvious.

What is present to me? What is Actually present to me... now. What is on my mind, on the wallpaper of my mind. Concerns, dreams, hopes, worries, obsessions. Things can be present to us and yet invisible to our conscious minds. Affecting us deeply but we are unaware of their effect.

Take a moment, what is present to you? If you talk about how you feel, even in a clumsy way (even to yourself - or a diary) you can follow the vine down to its root. How you are feeling and what is present (visible or invisible) -they are connected.

"What is present to me is what has a hold on my becoming."

What hold does this thing have on you? Is it holding you? Pulling at you. Limiting your freedom. Are you tethered to something that is restricting your movement. Is it affecting who you are becoming?

The rest of the piece.

"I reflect on the presence of God always there in love, amidst the many things that have a hold on me.
I pause and pray that I may let God affect my becoming in this precise moment".

Dallas Willard used to translate the first line of the Our Father
Abba Father, always near.

Where can I go from your presence Lord, if I run to the...YOU are there. (Psalm 139)

May you get all the Christmas presence you need!

Where Do You Feel Powerful?

Eric Liddell (I think a chain of supermarkets were named after him) was the subject of the wonderful movie Chariots of Fire. An Olympic runner, the movie was about Liddell's struggle to pursue his passion for running and remain faithful to his passion for God.



There is a moment in the movie when Eric is getting "gev out to" by his sister for focusing too much on his running and neglecting his responsibility to God. I love his response.

"I believe that God made me for a purpose.
He also made me fast,
and when I run I feel his pleasure"

Isn't that the most wonderful thing ever? As we practice the gift God has given us "we will feel his pleasure".

Where do you feel God's pleasure? Arising up from inside of you, from your belly, strength, ability competence, joy. A few years ago I was on the horns of a difficult decision regarding how to pursue my own giftedness. Over coffee, a very wise friend  asked me "Where do you feel powerful"? It was such an empowering question. Becoming a prayer guide and even this blog have been parts of that answer.

So Charlie...
Where do you feel powerful?
What activity makes you feel God's pleasure?