July 18, 2010
Practice of the Presence of God: The Best Rule of Holy Life – Brother Lawrence (Tid-Bits)
I’m not much in the mood for writing tonight, but others have written things more beneficial to be read than what I could write in a night anyhow, so I will repeat their words here. I don’t have the energy to summarize the whole book in one night, but I did summarize and pick out some great tid-bits from the first two “conversations” (or chapters?) of this sort book that I thought would be applicable to many people. Yes, it’s old English (1605-1691). No, you don’t need a seminary degree to understand it – you just need to pay attention and read twice. 🙂
Consider the snippets here to be ideas, or principles, learned by this man, Brother Lawrence, throughout his Christian life, that may be applied to our own lives.
As time and energy permits, I will add to this summary some more memorable tid-bits for us to think about. Enjoy!!
Sarah M. Bosse
Practice of the Presence of God: The Best Rule of Holy Life
by Brother Lawrence
First Conversation:
That we should feed and nourish our souls with high notions of GOD; which would yield us great joy in being devoted to Him.
That we ought to give ourselves up to GOD, with regard both to things temporal and spiritual, and seek our satisfaction only in the fulfilling of His will, whether He lead us by suffering or by consolation, for all would be equal to a soul truly resigned. That there needed fidelity in those drynesses, or insensibilities and irksomenesses in prayer, by which GOD tries our love to Him; that then was the time for us to make good and effectual acts of resignation, whereof one alone would oftentimes very much promote our spiritual advancement.
That to arrive at such resignation as GOD requires, we should watch attentively over all the passions which mingle as well in spiritual things as those of a grosser nature: that GOD would give light concerning those passions to those who truly desire to serve Him. That if this was my design, viz., sincerely to serve GOD, I might come to him (Bro. Lawrence) as often as I pleased, without any fear of being troublesome…
Second Conversation:
That in order to form a habit of conversing with GOD continually, and referring all we do to Him; we must at first apply to Him with some diligence: but that after a little care we should find His love inwardly excite us to it without any difficulty.
That he was pleased when he could take up a straw from the ground for the love of GOD, seeking Him only, and nothing else, not even His gifts.
That he expected after the pleasant days GOD had given him, he should have his turn of pain and suffering; but that he was not uneasy about it, knowing very well, that as he could do nothing of himself, GOD would not fail to give him the strength to bear them.
That when an occasion of practising some virtue offered, he addressed himself to GOD, saying, LORD, I cannot do this unless Thou enablest me; and that then he received strength more than sufficient.
So, likewise, in his business in the kitchen (to which he had naturally a great aversion), having accustomed himself to do everything there for the love of GOD, and with prayer, upon all occasions, for His grace to do his work well, he had found everything easy, during the fifteen years that he had been employed there.
That useless thoughts spoil all: that the mischief began there; but that we ought to reject them, as soon as we perceived their impertinence to the matter in hand, or our salvation; and return to our communion with GOD.
That our only business was to love and delight ourselves in GOD.
That all possible kinds of mortification, if they were void of the love of GOD, could not efface a single sin. That we ought, without anxiety, to expect the pardon of our sins from the Blood of JESUS CHRIST, only endeavouring to love Him with all our hearts.
That the greatest pains or pleasures, of this world, were not to be compared with what he had experienced of both kinds in a spiritual state: so that he was careful for nothing and feared nothing, desiring but one only thing of GOD, viz., that he might not offend Him.
That he had no scruples; for, said he, when I fail in my duty, I readily acknowledge it, saying, I am used to do so: I shall never do otherwise, if I am left to myself. If I fail not, then I give GOD thanks, acknowledging that it comes from Him.
(End Tid-Bits from Conversation Two.)
Truly God's Grace 