42 | THE VOICE MAY 2023
Muyiwa Olarewaju
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Trust God for He is present GUIDING HAND: We should always be mindful of God’s Presence (photo: Rui Silvestre on Unsplash)
The Lord is ready to guide us through tough times
I
HAVE FOUND that one of the most important practices in the Christian faith is that of the presence of God. This practice involves being mindful of God’s presence in every moment of our lives, whether we are at work, at home, or in any other setting. One of the most famous practitioners of this practice was Brother Lawrence, a 17thcentury Carmelite monk who lived in France. Brother Lawrence wrote a book called The Practice of the Presence of God, which has become a classic of Christian spirituality. In this book, Brother Lawrence emphasises the importance of cultivating a continual awareness of God’s presence. He writes: “The most holy and necessary practice in our spiritual life is the presence of God. That means finding constant pleasure in His divine company, speaking humbly and lovingly with Him in all seasons, at every moment, without limiting the conversation in any way.” Brother Lawrence’s message is clear: God is always with us, and we should strive to be aware of His presence at
We need the vulnerability and courage it takes to share our stories all times. This can be achieved through prayer, meditation, and simply being mindful of God’s presence as we go about our daily lives. The practice of the presence of God is particularly important in times of stress and anxiety, when we may be tempted to turn away from God and rely solely on our own strength. But as the Apostle Peter reminds us in 1 Peter 5:7: “Cast all your anxiety on him because he cares for you.” When we remember that God is with us and cares for us, we can trust in His strength to see us through difficult times. This message is particularly relevant in the context of Tarana Burke and Brené Brown’s book You Are Your Best Thing: Vulnerability, Shame Resilience, and the Black
Experience. The book explores the experiences of Black people who have been marginalised and oppressed, and the ways in which they have learned to cope with shame and vulnerability. One of the key themes of the book is the importance of community and connection. As Burke and Brown write: “We need each other. We need the vulnerability and courage it takes to share our stories, to offer our best selves, to trust that we will be seen and heard and held.” This message is consistent with Brother Lawrence’s emphasis on the presence of God. Just as we are called to be mindful of God’s presence in our lives, we are also called to be present to one another. We are called to create spaces where people can share their stories, offer their best selves, and trust that they will be seen and heard and held. In both the practice of the presence of God and the practice of vulnerability and connection, we are reminded of the importance of humility. Brother Lawrence writes:
“We must surrender ourselves to God with regard both to things temporal and spiritual and then, with perfect confidence, await the results.” Similarly, Burke and Brown emphasise the importance of humility in our relationships with one another. As they write: “Humility is not about being weak or giving
up power. It’s about recognising that we are all human, that we all make mistakes, and that we all need each other.” Ultimately, the practice of the presence of God and the practice of vulnerability and connection are about cultivating a deep sense of trust. When we trust in God’s presence and care, we are able to let
go of our anxieties and fears. When we trust in one another, we are able to share our stories and offer our best selves without fear of rejection or judgement. As we navigate the challenges of life, whether as individuals or as communities, may we be mindful of God’s presence and the presence of one another.
Muyiwa Olarewaju OBE is Station Director at Premier Gospel Radio, a TV & Radio Broadcaster, and Principal of gospel group Muyiwa & Riversongz
Ageing with the grace of God in a world untainted by sin MY DAUGHTER was really excited about the middle of October because it marked exactly seven and a half years since she was born. Quarters and halves of years are very important to a child. They are excited by the transition from one age to the next. Each day and month along the way is significant, marking the changes, growth, and developments of that year. When her eighth birthday finally does come around she will not be the same girl that entered into her seventh year. She will have learned and grown and changed in so many ways through all the things she has experienced in those 365 days between seven and eight. The tiny daily changes are so
By Shirley Morgan gradual and imperceptible to her parents who see her everyday. It’s only when a relative who hasn’t seen her for a long time, remarks on how much she’s grown, or find she is outgrowing her clothes and shoes very frequently that we look again and notice her transitioning
from one age to the next. Our Gospel passage and Old Testament reading remind us of the many differences and changes that can separate one age from the next. In the Gospel, Jesus divides humanity’s history into two ages. This Age, and that Age, and he describes some of the major differences between the two. The Sadducees – students of a particular Jewish school of learning – did not believe in a resurrection. They believed that once you were dead, that was it. So, the question they asked Jesus was really a riddle to mock the idea that someone could rise from the dead. If a woman married multiple husbands because each one she
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married tragically died shortly after the wedding, and then she eventually dies herself, whose wife will she be in the afterlife? Would she be a bigamist? Jesus wasn’t phased by their question. He tells them the Resurrection Age, the Age that will follow this one, is completely different. In the Age that is to come there will be a new humanity. Humans that are reborn with a sin-free nature, humans that are children of God. In this Fallen Age there is heartache and death. In the Resurrection Age there is eternal life and no tragedy. Jesus tells them that resurrection from the dead isn’t just simply coming back to your life as it was before, it is being reborn into
a new body, in a new creation, in a new world that runs by different rules to this one. The Resurrection Age will be inhabited by a new sanctified humanity living in perfect relationship with God – in a new world untainted by sin and decay. God the Father loves us and wants to comfort our hearts and strengthen us in every good work. So, despite the struggles we face in this age, let us pray that God will continue to empower us to love and live like Him; to do good to those who hurt us and share the Good News of the Kingdom with everyone who hasn’t heard it. So that we can live faithfully as His Children in this Age and the Age to come.
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