“If you feel distant from God, guess who’s moved away from whom!”
~Richard Leonard
Reflection:
Where in my life have I drifted from God, and what one step can I take today to turn back toward Him?
Scripture:
“Draw near to God, and he will draw near to you.” — James 4:8
“To say that God turns away from the sinful is like saying that the sun hides from the blind.”
~St. Anthony the Great
Reflection:
Where might spiritual blindness—fear, shame, regret, or discouragement—be keeping you from experiencing the nearness of God?
Scripture:
“The light shines in the darkness, and the darkness has not overcome it.” — John 1:5
This is for me
not against me
the Lord will not
punish
abandon
or forsake me
He is here
in and around me
though I do not see Him
He sustains me
~Robert Van Valkenburgh
Reflection:
Where in your life do you most need to trust that God is sustaining you even when you cannot see Him?
Scripture:
“For He Himself has said, ‘I will never leave you nor forsake you.’” — Hebrews 13:5
“The deep acceptance of our poverty in the presence of God is the gate of heaven.”
~James Finley
How does acknowledging our spiritual poverty and dependence on God lead us closer to the divine and open the gate to heavenly fulfillment?
Pick up your head
look around
take it all in
the sun’s warmth
on your brow
the autumn breeze
across your cheeks
the quiet whisper
of all that is
all that you have forgotten
this is the new prayer posture
this is the new prostration
your head has been down too long
your gaze has lost its luster
God wants to see your face
~Robert Van Valkenburgh
How does adopting a new prayer posture by embracing the world around us deepen our relationship with God and invigorate our spiritual lives?
We scurry about
in such a hurry
gathering
building
tearing apart
and starting again
all in the hope
of finding
of clinging to
that unnamable something
we call love
we call peace
we call rest
that ever ellusive perfection
we hope will last forever
when all the while
if only we would stop
if only we would be still
if only we would submit
we would realize
we lack nothing
we want for nothing
in this eternity
of God’s eternal
presence
here
now
~Robert Van Valkenburgh
How can embracing stillness and submission to God’s presence transform our understanding of fulfillment and contentment?
Seasons come
seasons go
I remain
rain falls
leaves change
I remain
the sun will rise
the sun will set
I remain
flowers bloom
and wilt away
I remain
I am before
all this was formed
I remain
join me
my beloved child
where I remain
~Robert Van Valkenburgh
How does recognizing God’s unchanging presence amidst life’s changing seasons offer hope and stability in our spiritual journey?
God has never left you
it is not He who is lost
nor is He ever far away
God remains
abiding in and as
the very ground
of your being
nearer to you
than you are
to yourself
return to Him
remain in Him
abide in He
who abides in you
~Robert Van Valkenburgh
How can recognizing God’s constant presence within us transform our daily lives and spiritual journey?
I am no writer
nor poet
nor wise in any way
I am merely a vessel
a container
a channel
of His grace
that flows through me
when I am not
in the way
~Robert Van Valkenburgh
Look around
at the face of God
the leafy tree limbs
swaying in the breeze
flowers blooming
in the spring
songbirds singing
children laughing
the sunrise
the night sky
a rich man
a begger
a doctor
a leper
the greatest of these
and the least
look around
at the face of God
your reflection
and the places
you most fear to look
~Robert Van Valkenburgh
Grappling With Divinity 