In His Presence
The one condition that precedes every kind of prayer is being present to God with conscious awareness. God is always present with us, whether or not we can feel this reality. In a very real sense, then, the foundation of all prayer is being present to the presence of God. Quaker writer and teacher Douglas Steere speaks of “being present where we are” and “not too elsewhere.”
—Marjorie J. Thompson,
Soul Feast
Prayer begins not with words, but with awareness. Before petitions, praises, or even silence, there is the simple yet profound act of turning our attention to the One who is already near. God’s presence is not something we summon; it is a reality we awaken to. As we still ourselves and bring our scattered thoughts home, we find that God has been waiting—not at a distance, but intimately close, closer than our next breath. To pray, then, is to come home to this presence. In every kind of prayer—whether we are rejoicing, weeping, questioning, or simply resting—the foundational posture is attentiveness. When we are consciously present to God, our prayers become less about performance and more about communion. In that sacred space, words may come or not, but what matters most is that we are with God, and God is with us. This is the heart of prayer: presence meeting Presence. May we begin today in prayer, “Loving Father, here I am …” —DH
—David Hoskins, Founder & Care Guide, Sanctuary Clinics