We are reflecting these days on Brother Lawrence’s two monumental works: The Practice of the Presence of God and The Spiritual Maxims. As I have mentioned earlier in previous blogs, these have been companions of mine for decades and have helped me immeasurably in my journey with God in my life. I recommend these two works to you, most often published together in a small and simple volume. They are not something to be read, but rather to be included in your daily reflections with the Lord, along with the Scriptures. They are to be chewed and tasted and imbedded word by word into your heart. They are your friend!
Now to learn to pray daily and to learn to meditate in silence before God every day is indeed a life-long project that must be practiced daily. I am learning, slowly for sure, that to pursue faithfully daily prayer and meditation is the most important thing in life. Truly. And along with this, of course, is daily time in the Scriptures. Hard at first to do this, it eventually works mysteriously in our soul, in our heart, pulling us into the grace of God and leading us to see the presence of God in remarkable ways in our life. This opens the door to the plan of God for our lives, as the Prophet Jeremiah tells us. In fact the Prophet’s words become alive and central to our life: “For surely I know the plans I have for you, says the Lord, plans for your welfare and not for harm, to give you a future with hope. 12 Then when you call upon me and come and pray to me, I will hear you. 13 When you search for me, you will find me; if you seek me with all your heart, 14 I will let you find me, says the Lord, and I will restore your fortunes and gather you from all the nations and all the places where I have driven you, says the Lord, and I will bring you back to the place from which I sent you into exile” Jeremiah 29:11-14. We learn in daily prayer, meditation, and time in the Word, that the vision of God for our lives is something we can never even imagine on our own. It is far ahead of what we sense is really, far beyond what we think is enough spiritual life in us, and more life-giving than everything else. We must give our thoughts, our desires, our worries and preoccupations entirely to the Lord, and trade everything for what He wishes for us. His love for everything else.
May this become your daily pursuit and prayer.
Lord Jesus Christ, Son of the Living God, have mercy on me a sinner.
From the Bible:
“You will seek me and find me, when you seek me with all your heart” Jeremiah 29:13.
“I the Lord search the heart and test the mind, to give every woman and man according to your ways, according to the fruit of your deeds” Jeremiah 17:10.
“For the Lord sees not as mean and women see: for men and women look on the outward appearance, but the Lord looks on the heart” 1 Samuel 16:7.
“Jesus said, “You shall love the Lord your God with all your heart and with all your soul and with all your mind” Matthew 22:37.
“Seek the Lord your God and you will find him, if you search after him with all your heart and with all your soul” Deuteronomy 4:29.
“The aim of our charge is love that issues from a pure heart and a good conscience and a sincere faith” 1 Timothy 1:5.
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