SURELY GOD is in THIS PLACE

 May 4, 2022

 Exodus 33:14

“My presence shall go with you, 

and I will give you rest.”

 _______________________

 

On Monday we reflected on Jacob’s important discovery that at times we can miss the reality of God’s presence in our living. He certainly did! His big surprise was that God was near to him but, like us distractions blinded him to the awesome experience of being near to God or God being near to him.

Yesterday, a prayer model was shared that I believe helps us to begin to practice the desire of being aware of God’s presence in our everyday life “rhythms.” I really do pray that some of that model will be a benefit to you as you journey toward living in the presence of God more fully.

Today, I wanted to share a bit of background that for me has

been very significant and formative in my journey to live always with the awareness of God’s wonderful presence. Nothing has influenced my spiritual practices like a little book called THE PRACTICE OF THE PRESENCE OF GOD, written by Brother Lawrence. Let me share a bit about this little book and its author today.

Brother Lawrence was a lay monk in the 17th century. Born in poverty, he’d had little education. He worked as a soldier, then a servant. Then he joined a Carmelite monastery in Paris. (A religious order of Men and women who adopted a lifestyle of poverty, traveling, and living in urban areas for purposes of preaching, evangelization, and ministry, especially to the poor.) He worked in the kitchen. Later in his life he was transferred to the shoe repair shop. Whether working as a cook or a cobbler, he became known for his deep and abiding experience of God’s Presence.

What was Brother Lawrence’s secret? He just did it. His approach has been called a “methodless method.” He found some simple, regularly repeated actions that brought his mind back to awareness of the Presence of God. This is simple, but not easy. His approach was kind, gentle and forgiving. He often spoke of his difficulties, distractions, and failures. There was a real honesty about the struggle to living with an awareness of God’s presence.

Brother Lawrence’s spirituality is for regular people like us. He encourages us to cultivate a constant awareness of being in God’s Presence, in all our activities and the different places we are. He himself did it while doing things like stirring soup, washing pots and pans or stitching the sole of a shoe.

Brother Lawrence’s approach is rather useful and helpful as we all desire to live in a place of “practicing the Presence of God.” I believe Brother Lawrence shows us how we can 'practice the presence of God' throughout our days. How we can be constantly mindful of God's Presence. Still, I want to suggest that setting aside particular times to cultivate our awareness and attentiveness to God (like yesterday’s prayer model) can be extremely helpful in this journey to a mindfulness of God’s presence.

Practicing the Presence of God will be transformative in our lives. Just today, as am example I was in a store where a women was passing out oatmeal samples. Sounds exciting, eh? I noticed that she looked understandably bored, but also sad, down-hearted so I simply started talking to her, and if you know me, I like to joke a bit, so I subjected her to some ‘Dad Humor”, and I said to her, “May you have great rest of the day!” she wished the same to me. Two things about this, first, it is from growing awareness of living in the presence of God that I noticed her and was tuned into her appearance. Second her countenance was changed, smiling, and uplifted. A few kind words can make quite an impact, can’t they. For me, it was a holy moment.

Isaiah 57:15

“I dwell on a high and holy place,
And also with the contrite and lowly of spirit
In order to revive the spirit of the lowly
And to revive the heart of the contrite.

Today, sit for a few moments with these thoughts, think about the questions in yesterday’s prayer (below) and ask God to Help you notice his presence today. 

Who might you be encountering or spending time with?

What are you grateful for?

What are you looking forward to?

What are you worried about?

Are there burdens you have brought from yesterday?