"The Practice of the Presence of God."

Humility and a kick in the pants.

That is how I would describe the infamous Brother Lawrence book, "The Practice of the Presence of God." I have heard about others reading it, and so I finally decided to give it a try, and it really kicked me in the pants.

Brother Lawrence is, of course, a monk. His every waking moment consisted of meditating on God, praying to God, reading from God's Word, and serving God. And so, who else could give us inside into what it is like to live in the presence of God?

I say humility because if anyone couldn't be more humble it would have to be Brother Lawrence. Throughout the book he offers to pray for his original reader, though, he admits, they may not do any good. This is not pessimism, but an honest reflection on how insignificant he is. He is not deserving of God's favor, nor is he deserving that God listens to him. Oh that we might recover such an attitude in our prayer.

Similarly, Brother Lawrence finds his humility in the cross and in the gospel. He says that he reflects on hell, damnation, and sin often for those are the things that he deserves. He has not earned salvation, and no good works can redeem him. He even points out that mutilating he body isn't enough to redeem one's soul. Rather, it is the cross and only the cross that we must put our faith in. Therein lies humility! The cross is the greatest breaker of pride in the world!

I really enjoyed this book, and I don't know if I will ever be able to read it without a lump in my throat. I am a wimp, as we all are. And this is one of those books that humbles me by reminding me of that fact.

If you would like to listen to the book for free, click here.