The Practice of the Presence of God
“A man who knows the living God will often be found alone with that God in prayer. John Knox described prayer as an earnest and familiar talking with God.”
― Dr. John Snyder, Week 2 of Behold Your God: The Weight of Majesty
Brother Lawrence was a 17th century Carmelite monk who held a constant and profoundly intimate communion with God, even in the midst of washing the pots and pans in the monastery kitchen. He writes, “Lord of all pots and pans and things . . . make me a saint by getting meals and washing up the plates!” He felt God’s presence and spoke with Him in the midst of all things, great and small.
In the Practice of the Presence of God, we have many conversations with and letters by Brother Lawrence. We read there:
I continued some years, applying my mind carefully the rest of the day, and even in the midst of my business, to the presence of God, whom I considered always as with me, often as in me . . .
Ever since that time I walked before God, simply, in faith, with humility and with love, and I apply myself diligently to do nothing and think nothing that may displease Him. I hope that when I have done what I can, He will do with me what He pleases.
As for what what passes in me at present, I cannot express it. I have no pain or difficulty about my state, because I have no will but that of God, which I endeavor to accomplish in all things, and to which I am so resigned that I would not take up a straw from the ground against His order, or from any other motive than purely that of love to Him.
I have quitted all forms of devotion and set prayers but those to which my state obliges me. And I make it my business only to persevere in His holy presence, wherein I keep myself by a simple attention, and a general fond regard to God, which I may call an actual presence of God; or, to speak better, an habitual, silent, and secret conversation of the soul with God, which often causes me joys and raptures inwardly, and sometimes also outwardly, so great that I am forced to use means to moderate them and prevent their appearance to others.
In short, I am assured beyond all doubt that my soul has been with God above these thirty years. I pass over many things that I may not be tedious to you, yet I think it proper to inform you after what manner I consider myself before God, whom I behold as my King.
I consider myself as the most wretched of men, full of sores and corruption, and who has committed all sorts of crimes against his King. Touched with a sensible regret, I confess to Him all my wickedness, I ask His forgiveness, I abandon myself in His hands that He may do what He pleases with me. The King, full of mercy and goodness, very far from chastising me, embraces me with love, makes me eat at His table, serves me with His own hands, gives me the key of His treasures; He converses and delights Himself with me incessantly, in a thousand and a thousand ways, and treats me in all respects as His favorite. It is thus I consider myself from time to time in His holy presence.