Another means of practicing God’s presence daily is by opening His personal letter to us, the Bible, and     letting Him speak to us. The Bible has very aptly been called God’s personal love letter to us with a proposal for    marriage and an R.S.V.P.  You will recall that the    relationship between the Chosen People – the Jewish nation, was always described as a marriage between Yahweh and His people. God is the bridegroom and we are His bride. I realize that this approach to the relationship between God and humankind may not resonate as well in today’s world, especially when we think about the high divorce rate and the apparent inability of modern humans to truly enter into a meaningful and intimate relationship.

How much more real God’s presence can become if we allow Him to speak to us for a few moments each day. The secret is never to put the Bible away without taking a promise from it and claiming it for yourself. For example, Lord, You are my rock and my fortress (Psalm 31:3). Take this promise and say it to yourself two or three dozen times during the day. It will do something to you. If you say it until your conscious mind accepts it, until it sinks down into your unconscious being, you will become aware that God is a real and living presence in your life. As you know, this is the approach of the Jesus prayer and of the Mantra that eastern religions in general suggest. Christianity learned from these religions and made these practices Christian. Never put the Bible away without memorizing at least one verse each day. Take it with you. Make it the controlling thought of the day. Return to it. Cling to it. Live with it all day. Reflect on it. Fall asleep with it at night. It is possible to carry the Bible around in your heart. Let the word of Christ dwell in you richly (Colossians 3:16). We can keep our minds well stocked with beautiful thoughts from God’s word. They can become our daily companions bringing us strength, comfort and, truly inspiration when we need it. Those divine promises will come to our assistance when we need them. They will serve as life preservers when we find ourselves adrift and shipwrecked on the sea of life. When last have you picked up a Bible and read from it?