The Presence

In the very early days of my journey with Christ, I came across a book entitled "The Practice of the Presence"  which was actually a compilation of the teachings of a 17th century monk known as Brother Lawrence.  He is, perhaps, best remembered for the way he spoke of experiencing the presence of God midst the pots and pans of the kitchen, but a closer look reveals him as a man who lived focused on cultivating a sensitivity to the presence of God in every day life.    

Brother Lawrence participated in the rituals and worship which was a part of monastery life; yet, he was not limited to those structured moments as he encountered holy presence in the world.   In many ways Jesus models this very thing in His own spiritual practices.  He was in the synagogue with the community as it gathered, but He was also constantly opening the eyes of those who followed Him to the way the things of creation revealed the Father and enabled the hearing of His voice.  The things He pointed out in His teachings were common things, so common that they were often unseen by most eyes. When He framed with words what He saw with His heart, they became objects inherently holy.   

While many things about our world has changed since the days of Jesus and Brother Lawrence, the holy remains present in everything which is around us.  There is no where we can walk where the presence of God cannot be known.  It can be found in the most marvelous sights of the creation and in the most horrible suffering on the face of the earth.  We are never alone.  We are never outside the realm of His voice.  Such is the promise of the One who said, "I am with you always."  (Matthew 28:20)