Practice the Presence of the Lord Pt. 1

Tomorrow morning at NRN I will be be sharing a message about how to Practice the Presence of the Lord. The notes from my sermon are from the writings of Brother Lawrence. Brother Lawrence was a monk in France during the 1600’s. He was assigned to the monastery kitchen where, amidst the tedious chores of cooking and cleaning at the constant bidding of his superiors, he developed his rule of spirituality and work. In his book “Maxims”, Brother Lawrence writes, "Men invent means and methods of coming at God's love, they learn rules and set up devices to remind them of that love, and it seems like a world of trouble to bring oneself into the consciousness of God's presence. Yet it might be so simple. Is it not quicker and easier just to do our common business wholly for the love of him?"

For Brother Lawrence, "common business," no matter how mundane or routine, was the medium of God's love. The issue was not the sacredness or worldly status of the task but the motivation behind it. He also said: "Nor is it needful that we should have great things to do. . . We can do little things for God; I turn the cake that is frying on the pan for love of him, and that done, if there is nothing else to call me, I prostrate myself in worship before him, who has given me grace to work; afterwards I rise happier than a king. It is enough for me to pick up but a straw from the ground for the love of God."

Brother Lawrence retreated to a place in his heart where the love of God made every detail of his life of surpassing value. He said: "I began to live as if there were no one save God and me in the world." Together, God and Brother Lawrence cooked meals, ran errands, scrubbed pots, and endured the scorn of the world.

First published around 1699, four conversations and fifteen letters from this Carmelite lay brother were published in a little book titled, The Practice of the Presence of God. John Wesley is thought to be the first person to bring 'The Practice of the Presence of God' to the US when he made his first visit to Georgia. In it we learn how to engage in a continuous conversation with God - a way of faith, love, humility, and simplicity that anyone can practice anywhere at any time.

To live moment by moment conscious of the Lord's presence is the key to Christian living – this is the KEY to a growing personal relationship with God in the midst of the busyness of life. But how do we practice God's presence throughout the day? Plan to join us tomorrow at NRN at 10:45am as we enter into a worship experience and practice the presence of the Lord.

Here is an introduction to the teachings of Brother Lawrence: