Ride to the Coast
I spent a wonderful day with friends out on the coast yesterday. We talked into the evening with ginger tea and candles, about God and where we were at in our relationships with Him. It was so good. Everything I love!
The journey out to their home at the sea was a couple of hours by train. I wanted to write about it because on the way I was reading parts of Practicing God’s Presence, the letters and thoughts of a monk who lived in Paris in the 1600s called Brother Lawrence, about God and about his relationship with Him.
The pages are so full of wisdom and spiritual insight. I found myself having to stop often, and go over again, the words there.
Brother Lawrence embraced this principle of doing all things, big tasks and small, all for the love of God. As if life were an uninterrupted experience of loving God, and being in His presence. Every thought, every word, every action, as an act of love for Him, and abiding with Him.
This is one of the lines that stood out for me. It is a recollection from a conversation with Brother Lawrence in 1666:
“Because he knew he needed to love God in everything, he really didn’t need anyone to tell him how to build his life around that truth.”*
What struck me was the simplicity and clarity of this idea. So many small decisions face us each day, and more than the big decisions I find, these small daily choices make up the fabric of life. It also seems in my own life, that God is most interested in these small daily choices. As if these have more to do with the direction my life is going in. What struck me from the line above is that for Brother Lawrence, these everyday choices were built upon this sole idea – loving God in everything. Every response, every word, every intention, every act filtered by that one principle.
Am I loving God with my whole self in this moment? I find this so hard so often, and impossible without His help, but it’s a question I want to grow in answering in a way that pleases Him.
*Reference: Elmer, Robert, ‘Practicing God’s Presence,’ 2005 (NavPress, CO) p 24
What a good question to ask ourselves! I am thinking we would have to pray and ask God to remind us to ask ourselves that question throughout the day. I will anyway! I find myself yelling at my kids and then wondering, “How did I get here?”
Thanks for your comment on my blog, sorry I haven’t been around as much lately. I am well, just busy! Hope you have a very merry Christmas!
I read your blog often, though I don’t usually comment.
Today I had to tell you, though…how much your writing inspires me, encourages me, and uplifts me
For some time I’ve been in a valley…and I keep trying to pull myself up and press on..and feel the joy of truly abiding in Him…instead of the self inflicted guilt that is so easy to fall victim to..
Words are powerful..and yet..the gift here..beyond the words..is His spirit that is so obvious in you…I feel it every time I read your posts….and it gives me courage..to push the negative voice away..it gives me confidence…that I can find that joy again…it gives me the desire ..to know Him more fully and more freely….and I thank you for your part in these moments.
You are blessed and you ARE a blessing…to me…
Hmm, this is good Birgit. How true that it is the small things that matter to God. Often I want to be doing the great grand things for God, and almost can’t imagine that God takes interest in the mundane, everyday things. But like you say this is probably the most important and easily forgotten aspect: how I am loving God and those around me at any moment.
I’ve read of Brother Lawrence before. I find, that in the big things – the “things of God” it’s not difficult to do them unto the Lord. However, in the small things, the things where my flesh would choose something easier or self-centred, it’s in these things that I find my greatest expression because it so much more difficult. As always, thank you for the post.
Hi Tawny, so great to see you, and so glad you’re well :) I really relate to what you’re saying here, about wanting to do our best for God every moment, and so often doing the one thing we don’t want to be doing that gets in the way of that! I’m really thankful for His patience and His grace. A really Happy Christmas to you and your family too, God bless :)
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Tamara, your comment here is truly such a blessing. It’s really been such an encouragement, and I just wanted to say thank you. I really felt for you as you described the valley that you’ve been in, and also the guilt. I relate to these feelings. Can I just encourage you, as I sense so strongly God’s Spirit, that He is with you and He is at work gently drawing you on. Please know that I will be praying too. Thank you so much for leaving your comment here, it’s meant a lot. With every blessing to you :)
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Rain, I so relate to what you’re saying here. It seems that so often in my walk with Him I’ve been concerned with what it is I am ‘doing’ for Him, and yet He’s been most concerned with Christlikeness with which I do them, if that makes sense? I’ve found it quite free-ing in lots of ways, that more than what I do for Him, it’s the love and worship with which I do it :)
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So true, Hope!! I find exactly the same thing. It is by far the hardest thing to bring wrong thoughts captive, to bite my tongue, to repent time and time again of a wrong heart, day by day, than the bigger decisions. I really relate! :)
I think I need to pick up that book. What you’ve said here is what I’ve been hoping to live. My choices in life are not big anymore. It’s a very limited existence…one where I am not able to make big decisions that mark anyone’s life exept my own and my immediate family. I hope I am choosing love for Him above love of self. Only He knows my true intentions, which is comforting and disconcerting at the same time.
But, even in the little things…will I quit drawing and listen to my daughter’s prattle…will I make the effort to walk to the kitchen so we can eat as a family…will I take the time to write that card knowing the person needs to hear a comforting word…
These aren’t big things to others, but some days they are monumental for me…to think I can still choose love above self…
Yeah.
Thanks, Birg.
Hi Michelle, my heart went out to you as I read your comment, and I can really understand how monumental it must be to do those things at times that you’re struggling with your health. I truly think it is what you say here, choosing love above self, in whatever ways God leads us day to day. When He sees the extra mile you go to show love in the ways you describe here, it must bring such a smile to His face :)
Wow, it’s been too long… I have missed contemplating with you. Thank you for being such a classy lady. The tea and candles with friends sounds like a perfect setting for a most wonderful conversation. Peace.