For March 9th:

“Serve the Lord with Gladness!”  Psalm 100:2

“…We should practice God’s presence through continuing conversation with Him…feed our souls on the highest thoughts of God. We can find deep joy by simply being with the Lord…

…In this walk we ought to give ourselves completely to God, both physically and spiritually, and look for our own satisfaction only in doing His will. Then whether God leads us into a path of suffering or apparent blessings, it will be the same because we are wholly surrendered to God. We need to hold on to our faith in the spiritual desert when prayer is hard and God refines our love for Him.”

Brother Lawrence of the Resurrection, 1600s

Brother Lawrence of the Resurrection was an obscure French monk from the 1600s. He had only a grade school education, but spoke with genuine common sense that people admired. He was known for his simple approach to the spiritual life; his honesty, warmth and humor; and his uncluttered approach to relationships and to faith itself. He felt unworthy of God’s vast love for such a clumsy man as he, so he entered the monastery, was given the job of dish washer. And although he didn’t particularly enjoy working in the kitchen, he surrendered himself to God’s mercy and came to know the daily closeness of the Lord, what he called the practice of God’s presence. The humble cafeteria worker wrote letters to those who sought out his wisdom and no-frills spiritually. After his death in 1691 at the age of seventy-seven, admirers collected as many of the letters as could be located and published them as  “The Practice of the Presence of God”.

            The small work has been held in high regard for over three hundred years. A. W. Tozer said of the work: “He wrote very little, but what he wrote has seemed to several generations of Christians to be so rare and so beautiful as to deserve a place near the top among the world’s great books of devotion.”(“The Price of Neglect”, 1991)

From: “Practicing God’s Presence, Brother Lawrence for Today’s Reader”,

by Robert Elmer, 2005

Look for future entries from the wise counsel of Brother Lawrence as we journey toward a life lived in God’s presence through Gratitude.

CUMC Women’s Ministry