During the month of March, I am forming a bouquet of blog posts using a variety of “roses” that will be formed with these petals from the basket : (1) a quotation, (2) a daily verse, (3) a devotional thought, (4) a book dealing with that day’s topic, and (5) an idea to put into practice!

Petal 1: “We cannot escape from Thy presence and control, nor do we desire to do so.” —Valley of Vision, “Fifth Day [Thursday]: Morning”

Petal 2: “I can never get away from Your presence!” (Psalm 139:7, NLT)

Petal 3: The thought, “I can never get away from Your presence,” has a contrasting impact on me when I hear it. On one side, I am reminded that He is always aware of my actions; this puts a reverential fear of Him in me. On the flip side, I receive great comfort and security in knowing that He is always there with me. Perhaps my current actions, thoughts, or needs are the determining factors for which side I am dwelling on at that moment: if I’m about to make a wrong choice, it is good to respectfully remember that He will see what I am about to do; if I’m feeling alone and uncertain, it is good to whisper to Him in gratitude, “I can never get away from Your presence!”

Petal 4: Today’s book recommendation is Valley of Vision: A collection of Puritan Prayers & Devotions. These words from the Preface describe it best: “The prayers in this book are drawn from the largely forgotten deposit of Puritan spiritual exercises, meditations, and aspirations. They testify to the richness and colour of evangelical thought and language that animated vital piety in an important stream of English religious life.”

Petal 5: Choose three points throughout your day to stop and recall that God is there with you; then, determine which “side” comes to mind based on the action or thought you had upon remembering His presence.