Touching God…knowing him intimately, communicating with him, knowing his presence. There is that part of us that longs for a connection to a greater, higher power. But it isn’t the method that is most important.
The Michelangelo painting on the ceiling of the Sistine Chapel of God creating man is certainly well-known, highly recognizable and iconic. The hand of Adam touching the hand of God is also, I think, very symbolic of the human need to touch God. Is it possible to ‘touch God’ in some manner? Does he even care? Is he real enough to touch, if not physically then in some spiritual connection?
Touching God…knowing him intimately, communicating with him, knowing his presence.
It is not only my belief that you can do so but this is something we must nurture. A very important part of knowing and touching God is prayer. Prayer’s most basic definition is talking to God. Just about all religions pray in some form even if it is something pre-written by their religion or a silent meditation reaching in to a higher self. Prayer is either viewed as ritual or some way to coax some form of ‘god’ or ‘the universe’ over to our side usually to get something we can’t seem to get in our own power. But prayer is so much deeper than anything human beings can define! Many would like to believe that this physical world is all there is and then proceed to come up with all kinds of ways that we got here, preferably without bringing ‘God’ into the equation. The world we live in for the large part is believed to be ‘all about us’; whoever we are or our particular affiliation, country or political party is. Yet deep down inside, something draws us to something deeper than ourselves. There is that part of us that longs for a connection to a greater, higher power. We behold a majestic waterfall or some overwhelmingly beautiful sight and suddenly we cannot help but feel small somehow and whether we believe in God or not at that moment in time we secretly think, surely this could not have just happened through some natural evolution. At that moment, something draws us to a deeper part of ourselves we did not know or acknowledge even existed; a spiritual part.
Prayer is the very lifeblood of the spirit but it is sadly the least emphasized or it is taught as just a way to get something from God. As blood is to the body, prayer is to the spiritual man. It carries away impurities, fights spiritual diseases and furnishes oxygen to our spiritual minds. Prayer tears down walls between you and God. It heals our spiritual deafness so we can believe and hear the voice of God.
Are There Other Ways Than Praying To Touch God?
I have many friends who are Native American who I also know are sincere followers of Christ and born again. Many of them practice something called ‘smudging’. Smudging is burning some incense like sage and as they pray. They may even take a feather and direct the smoke over their body, symbolically cleansing themselves, as if bathing their heads with the smoke. Some burn other herbs or smoke a ceremonial pipe, a special pipe set aside for sacred purposes. I am a Cherokee and a Christian. One misses the point if they think the act of smudging in and of itself accomplishes anything. Smudging is just a way of focusing one’s energy and faith upon the Creator, as is the ceremonial pipe. As long as it is a prayer going up to the Creator just like the smoke traveling upward, it is fine. The Jews burned incense in the temple. Just don’t give OBJECTS power. If you do you give them power over you. I know a person who would not have a black cat or any pictures or statues of cats in their house. They gave the image of cats power over them and lived in fear. Their faulty reasoning was that witches used cats for mediums and therefore all cats must be bad. I know people who give crystals power over them. I’m not saying smudge or don’t smudge just remember its purpose. Yes, I smudge sometimes and I pray other ways. I don’t have to have an OBJECT present to connect to God. To give power to an object is idolatry. Some Christians have made their church or denomination their object of idolatry. If you smudge in your act of prayer to God and it helps you focus on who HE is then it is OK. It is just another way to pray like some people fold their hands and close their eyes to help them focus. It isn’t in our methods and actions. We humans are the ones who need to get our focus off ourselves and our rituals. Don’t let the methods and the focus be the THING. Let God be the THING.
Making Your Life a Prayer
One philosophy I like that is held among many Native Americans is believing their life is a prayer. They believe everything they do, think or say is going up to the Creator. What a wonderful way to live! Keith Green used to sing a song called ‘Make My Life A Prayer to You’ that embodies this notion. Kind of sounds like “Pray without ceasing” to me as described in 1 Thessalonians 5:17.
Make My Life A Prayer To You
Make my life a prayer to you
I wanna do what you want me to
No empty words and no white lies
No token prayers no compromiseI wanna shine the light you gave
Through your son you sent to save us
From ourselves and our despair
It comforts me to know you’re really there[Chorus]
Well I wanna thank you now
For being patient with me
Oh it’s so hard to see
When my eyes are on me
I guess I’ll have to trust
And just believe what you say
Oh you’re coming again
Coming to take me awayI wanna die and let you give
Your life to me so I might live
And share the hope you gave me
The love that set me freeI wanna tell the world out there
You’re not some fable or fairy tale
That I’ve made up inside my head
You’re God the son and you’ve risen from the deadI wanna die and let you give
Your life to me so I might live
And share the hope you gave me
The love that set me freeSongwriters: Green, Melody
Make My Life A Prayer To You lyrics © Sony/ATV Music Publishing LLC
Meditation is Another Practice That Confuses Some People.
I know many Christians who just blanket condemn meditation because they associate it with Far Eastern and New Age disciplines like astral projection and out-of-body experiences. I say don’t throw the baby out with the bath water. Meditation has been studied and it has been proven that there are many health benefits from meditating regularly, like stress and anxiety relief. The Bible is full of references encouraging meditation:
Psalms 1:2 – But his delight [is] in the law of the LORD; and in his law doth he meditate day and night.
Psalms 19:14 – Let the words of my mouth, and the meditation of my heart, be acceptable in thy sight, O LORD, my strength, and my redeemer.
Psalms 119:15 – I will meditate in thy precepts, and have respect unto thy ways.
Psalms 104:34 – My meditation of him shall be sweet: I will be glad in the LORD.
Philippians 4:8 – Finally, brethren, whatsoever things are true, whatsoever things [are] honest, whatsoever things [are] just, whatsoever things [are] pure, whatsoever things [are] lovely, whatsoever things [are] of good report; if [there be] any virtue, and if [there be] any praise, think on these things.
Proverbs 4:20-22 – My son, attend to my words; incline thine ear unto my sayings.
Psalms 119:97 – O how love I thy law! it [is] my meditation all the day.
Psalms 49:3 – My mouth shall speak of wisdom; and the meditation of my heart [shall be] of understanding.
Isaiah 26:3 – Thou wilt keep [him] in perfect peace, [whose] mind [is] stayed [on thee]: because he trusteth in thee.
Matthew 6:6 – But thou, when thou prayest, enter into thy closet, and when thou hast shut thy door, pray to thy Father which is in secret; and thy Father which seeth in secret shall reward thee openly.
Psalms 1:1-6 – Blessed [is] the man that walketh not in the counsel of the ungodly, nor standeth in the way of sinners, nor sitteth in the seat of the scornful.
Psalms 119:127 – Therefore I love thy commandments above gold; yea, above fine gold.
Psalms 119:11 – Thy word have I hid in mine heart, that I might not sin against thee.
Psalms 119:97-99 – O how love I thy law! it [is] my meditation all the day.
Psalms 63:6 – When I remember thee upon my bed, [and] meditate on thee in the [night] watches.
Beware of course of meditation practices that encourage you to empty one’s mind and invite spirits in, or that encourage you to allow your soul to leave your body. Beneficial meditation is two-fold. One is just for health purposes. Get comfortable in a sitting posture. Take three deep breaths. Close your eyes and just focus on one thing, like your breathing. When other thoughts try to distract, acknowledge them and send them on their way and get back to your single focus. This teaches you to control your mind, body and thoughts. It also relieves anxiety and stress and relaxes you.
The other form of meditation is similar but you add another element to it. You make it a point to invite the Holy Spirit to speak. You may also use this time to focus on a particular Bible verse or a word like ‘peace’.
Like posture, burning incense or playing music it is just a tool to help you focus. There is nothing magical that takes place just because you do these things. It is not by our own efforts that we benefit but by our connection to the Holy Spirit. It is a means of producing a sanctuary anywhere and anytime. It is acknowledging that sacred ground is wherever and whenever we consecrate that moment to God, acknowledging his presence and our dependence upon him. It is at these times that he empowers us in a way like nothing else can.
For a detailed look at prayer order Raven’s book ‘Touching God‘.
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