You'll begin to sense His Grace

Matthew 6:8 Here's what I want you to do: Find a quiet, secluded place so you won't be tempted to role-play before God. Just be there as simply and honestly as you can manage. The focus will shift from you to God, and you'll begin to sense his grace.

What a lovely description, not only of how to go about praying, but also what the purpose is: to present ourselves "simply and honestly" before God and connect with Her. Mary Oliver describes it in her poem Praying:

It doesn't have to be
the blue iris, it could be
weeds in a vacant lot, or a few
small stones; just
pay attention, then patch

a few words together and don't try
to make them elaborate, this isn't
a contest but the doorway

into thanks, and a silence in which
another voice may speak.

In my silent prayer of contemplation, I sit with gratitude and open my heart go God's presence. I stay -- or keep returning when I get carried away by thoughts or feelings -- in the present moment, where God dwells and let go of all the stuff that wants to pull me into my head. i have glimpses of what the Buddhists call "Basic Goodness" and what I think of as the Presence of God and I find myself restored, renewed and refreshed. It's simple; it's just between me and God, and it connects me in a way nothing else does.

Prayer: Dear God, I thank you for all the traditions and practices that have struggled to find You, that I can reap the benefit of their wisdom. Thank you for Your Presence in my life. Amen