This week and next week, while I am not preaching, I figured we would focus on spending time in prayer and reflection in the Psalms. For this week I want to revisit cultivating an internal life and practicing God's presence. As I was thinking of how to put this week together I revisited the devotionals I did a while back and I don't think I could write them any better now. So these are recycled from a while back so if these sound familiar, they are. The italicized portion will be the same each day for those who perhaps missed the previous days this week. If you've read the previous day's devotional feel free to skip ahead to the bottom sections.
Normally I'm an advocate for doing your devotions at any point during the day, but this week I think it would benefit you most to do your devotional time first thing in the morning as a reminder to reflect on the presence of God throughout your day.
Each morning I would recommend you read Psalm 139:1-12, as a reminder of God's presence in every moment. I will include the text each day. Then I encourage you to take at least 5-10 min each day in quiet prayer. This can be at any time of the day. For this quiet prayer time I will include a line from Psalm 105 for you to focus on.
Psalm 105:1–5
1 Oh give thanks to the LORD; call upon his name; make known his deeds among the peoples!
Today, in your private prayer time give thanks to the LORD. To call upon his name means to proclaim, to announce the name of YAHWEH. When you pray address him by the name he gave us. We are praying to the one true God, not a mysterious, unknown force. Thank him for the many things he has done in your life. Thank him for the works he has done in history. Thank him for salvation. Everything we have is a gift, a blessing from God, even our life. It is only right to praise him and thank him for everything.
Thankfulness is a vital part of cultivating an internal life. When we recognize that all good things are from God, all of our accomplishments are a gift of his grace, it removes a massive cornerstone from the wall of our pride. This is why Paul tells us to "give thanks in all circumstances; for this is the will of God in Christ Jesus for you." (1 Thes. 5:18) Today as you pray focus on giving thanks.