The Life Abundant

I have just completed a Life Group based on John Ortberg's excellent book, "God is Closer Than You Think."  First, I want to thank the members if the group for an enjoyable and enlightening time.  It seems to me the subject of this book is one that is greatly on God's heart right now.  The subject is living in His presence all the time.  Actually, I know this is a deep concern of God's all of the time.  He wants to be with us and to be involved in our lives every moment of every day.  This is not an issue of control but it is because He wants the very best for us all of the time, and He knows that the best for us comes when we are conncted to Him.  This subject is actually covered in several books.  I recommend Ortberg's book because I am currently very familiar with it.  However, I am also reading Gregory Boyd's book on the same subject.  I have also read Brother Lawrence's book, "Practicing His Presence."  There are others, so I am confident that, like me, you may find one or more that speak to you.

To give you a starting point, I want to share the ten fundamentals of living a life with God from Ortberg's book.  On their own these truths offer excellent guidance, but each is explained in detail in the book:

Foundational Truths of My Life With God

God is always present and active in my life, whether or not I see him.

Coming  to recognize and experience God's presence is learned behavior; I can cultivate it.

My task is to meet God in this moment.

I am always tempted to live "outside" this moment.  When I do that, I lose my sense of God's presence.

Sometimes God seems far away for reasons I do not understand.  Those moments, too, are opportunities to learn.

Whenever I fail, I can always start again right away.

No one knows the full extent to which a human being can experience God's presence.

My desire for God ebbs and flows, but his desire for me is constant.

Every thought carries a "spiritual charge" that moves me a little closer to or a little farther from God.

Every aspect of my life -- work, relationships, hobbies, errands -- is of immense and genuine interest to God.

Straining and trying too hard do not help.

God bless you,
Rob