Something to Help Us Fully Acknowledge God's Presence During the Work Day

Fully acknowledging God's presence during a busy work day can be challenging. We've talked about this many times in the past. But now, as work heats up after a bit of a summer respite for many of us, the challenge is on again.

Frankly, even on day's that aren't so busy, we might have trouble keeping God in the loop. But during the recent respite in the usual daily pressures in my small business, I did make an effort to consciously recollect myself. To a limited (very limited!) degree, I had some success. And I must say, being aware that God is right here right now brought palpable benefits. Among other things, there was an increase in peace and a measure of confidence, simply knowing that He was not simply there, but actively looking out for me. 

He does that, you know - that is, actively looking out for us. It's Who He is. So when I came across this short passage written by Abbot Vital Lehodey, I thought we'd all find it helpful in developing an ongoing acknowledgement of God's presence, even during the busiest workdays.

To be sure, the Abbot won't give us practical tips on how to keep God present. What he does, however, is describe exactly what His Presence really means. While many of us learned that the universe itself would simply evaporate if it were not sustained by God's Will, it's a lesson we may have forgotten over time. Life gets in the way. Our obligations take up our time and attention. And the harder we work at meeting those obligation, fulfilling the duties of state of life, the more we may develop a false understanding that everything depends on us. It's doesn't. 

Sure, we need to do what we do and do our best. But without us, frankly, life goes on almost if not exactly as it would have with us. Any of you who have suffered the premature death of a dear loved one likely understand just what this means. Despite how much you miss the person, everyone eventually gets back to life more or less as it was. People carry on.

Same holds for businesses. None of us is indispensable. You read about a CEO who dies suddenly. The company's stock may take a temporary hit. But within months, more likely weeks or days, as business continues uninterrupted, things get back to just as they were before. We've seen this over and over again.

So with that in mind, and without any sense of neglecting our devotion to putting in our best efforts at our daily labors, let's read Abbot Lehodey's comments:

“Whilst ruling the stars and presiding over the revolutions of the earth, He concurs with the ants in their labors, with the insects in their least movements, and with the countless millions of atoms constituting a single drop of water in their invisible activities. Without Him not a leaf can stir, not a blade of grass die, not a grain of sand be moved about by the wind. He keeps a solicitous watch over the birds of the air, over the lilies of the field; and as each of us is worth more than many birds, He does not forget His human children. A thousand details of daily life will escape the notice of the father of the family and the most attentive of mothers; but God in His infinite intelligence possesses the secret of providing without effort for the most trivial incidents as well as for the most important events. Yes, He has numbered the very hairs of our heads; not one of them can fall without the permission of our heavenly Father. And what can seem so insignificant as the fall of a single hair? Nevertheless, God thinks of it…And thus I, an insignificant atom in the great world, occupy day and night, always and everywhere, the mind and the heart of my Father in Heaven. Oh, how infinitely touching is this truth of our holy faith, how touching and how consoling!”

An old song puts it this way: "He's got the whole world in His hands." It's not a truism. It's simply true.

Oh, and here's the song. It's been typecaste as a children's song, but here's a cast of adults - led by the great Johnny Cash - giving it their best: