The Eternal CurrentExemplo

God Is Here

Without a kingdom vision, spiritual practices can get pretty weird. Rather than offering “unforced rhythms of grace,” they can become burdens that weigh us down. Rather than opening ourselves to God’s work in and through us, they can become ways to enhance our own lives or try to earn God’s favor. Rather than connecting us to God, spiritual practices without a kingdom vision can even become a way to avoid God. That’s why we need to see concrete practices such as the Examen or centering prayer or confession simply as the means to participate in what God is already doing. 

As we explore spiritual practices—tangible ways to joyfully reorient our lives, communities, families, and churches around Jesus’s invitation—we must see what is already true: God’s kingdom is wherever God is working, and God is always working here. 

The River flows eternally and we are constantly near it. Wherever we are, God is already there. God is not a localized Being whom we have to convince to move from far to close. God is here. Therefore, I would suggest that swimming with the Eternal Current invites us to retire a number of common phrases from our Christian vocabulary. Let’s reconsider using two of them: “And then God showed up” and “God, we invite you here today.” 

I know phrases such as these are well intentioned. But when we insert “And then God showed up” as we tell our stories, we say something confusing about God. The same is true when we pray, “God, we invite you here.” Where do we think God is? If we claim that God “showed up,” are we saying that God was absent prior to that moment? If we beg God to “fill this place today” or to “be with us as we drive,” are we suggesting that God would be absent otherwise? Where in the world do we think God is? 

The invitation on Sunday morning is the same invitation on Monday morning and Tuesday afternoon: to become present to the God who is already fully present to us. Through spiritual practices, loving one another, and profound humility, we can cultivate eyes to see what is already happening. Likewise, our hearts begin to soften and remain increasingly open to the God who always is open to us and everyone else. 

Why do spiritual practices help us recognize that God is always with us?