The Practice of the Presence of God
by Brother Lawrence
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Book Reviews of The Practice of the Presence of God
Book Review: A rare gem (spirituality)
Summary: 5 Stars
As a "follower of Christ" (Christian) who considers himself an Evangelical Protestant, this little devotional book will hold a special place in my library and my heart. For all Christian believers, the richness and power of Brother Lawrence's life's witness and words are a fountain of Truth, a treasure that is as elegant (spiritually) as it is simple. For the non-believers, I am afraid that reading this booklet (a spiritual treasure in disguise) will just confirm St. Paul the Apostles's words that "the message of the cross is ... foolishness to the Gentiles" (1 Corinthians. 1:18, 23 and 2:14).
The only way to do justice to this booklet is to quote from it and let you get a taste of it ...
This is a unique biography because it is not compiled by the Brother Lawrence of the Resurrection (birth name Nicholas Herman but known by his monastic name) but by the ones around his life in 17th century France. Thus one learns very little about the beginnings of his life but very much about his godly lifestyle in the last 30 years of life of bliss (presence of God in his heart) and suffering (3 physical and debilitating ailments).
We learn about this Spirit-filled vessel in God's vineyard - Brother Lawrence, by reading the Eulogy of the abbot of Lawrence's Christian community, 4 short notes of his conversations with his spiritual father - Abb? de Beaufort, 16 very short letters of spiritual advice and encouragement Brother Lawrence wrote to friends and seekers, a manuscript found at his death called "Spiritual Maxims" and a memoir of a leader in the church in France.
The followings are a selection of the many highlights and underlined phrases and sentences from this book:
"Busy yourself with keeping your mind in the presence of the Lord."
"My most normal habit is to simply keep my attention on God, and to be generally and lovingly aware of Him."
"I occupy myself solely with keeping my attention on God and by being generally and lovingly aware of Him."
"We have an infinitely good God who knows what we need."
"Console yourself with the One who keeps you fastened to the cross."
"We should love our friends, but without prejudicing the love of God which must be first."
"Think often about Him; worship Him without ceasing. Life and die with Him. This is the beautiful call in the life of a Christian."
"...we should love one another through our words of counsel and even more through our good examples."
"...our only business in this life is to please God. ... my little progress in the path of perfection."
"I applied myself to practicing the presence of God ... Doing this gave me such a high esteem for God that faith alone was capable of satisfying me."
"A devout woman told me that the spiritual life is a life of grace that begins with service fear, increases through the hope of eternal life, and is consumated by pure love."
MY PRAYER: May we all experience God's love, which truly can consume all other passions, and be filled with His grace which will empower us to truly love our neighbors (Christian and non-Christian) as ourselves. This is my life goal !
Book Review: A Book that Changed my Life!!!
Summary: 5 Stars
I first read "The Practice of the Presence of God" when I was a young Christian. It probably is one of the books that saved me from being totally destroyed spiritually by liberal theology in seminary. I strongly desired to walk daily in the presence of God. After I became a truly Bible-believing Christian, and began editing Andrew Murray books, I used "The Practice of the Presence of God" when I compiled and edited: "The Believer's Secret of the Abiding Presence" for Bethany House Publishers.
Thank God that Whitaker House keeps printing books written by people like Brother Lawrence, Charles Finney, and Andrew Murray! If it were not for Whitaker House publishing their books, we would not have good editions of Brother Lawrence, Finney, and Murray books to share with others (as well as study ourselves). For example, all five of my Andrew Murray "Believer's Secret" books are out of print.
Brother Lawrence, Charles Finney, and Andrew Murray wrote the best books on the Holy Spirit and knowing God personally everyday that I have ever read. You cannot go wrong buying any Finney or Murray books published by Whitaker House! So I say again, thank God for Whitaker House!
I believe those of you who enjoy Brother Lawrence, Charles Finney, and Andrew Murray will also enjoy "Prayer Steps to Serenity," which teaches truths that I learned from studying Brother Lawrence, Finney, and Murray. You can learn more about how to Practice the Presence of God through praying through the 12 Steps and the Serenity Prayer with the Holy Spirit as your guide. "Prayer Steps to Serenity" follows a 12 Steps and Serenity Prayer format. It is available through Amazon, with ISBN 0595313043. If you know of anyone who is looking for a 12 Step devotional that will help them walk in the power of the Holy Spirit according to the scriptures, you can heartily recommend this book to them. "Prayer Steps to Serenity" was not published by Whitaker House, and it is a larger book than a trade paperback (it is a 9 inch by 6 inch paperback) that includes devotional readings, prayers to encourage you to keep on praying as the Holy Spirit leads, a personal Journey Guide (or workbook), and a Group Journey Guide for prayer and support groups. "Prayer Steps to Serenity" is also supported by two websites that offer a lot of free guides and resources for those seeking more information about Christian recovery and starting Serenity Groups. Go to PrayerSteps.org or SerenityGroups.org for more information.
Thank you for reading!
L.G. Parkhurst, Jr.
Book Review: Little Brother Lawrence, Mystic of the Mundane
Summary: 5 Stars
This is one of my favorite spiritual books. I love Brother Lawrence.
I always picture him enraptured, laying cruciform before the oven on the floor of his kitchen, slain by the mystery of the baking bread.. (Taste and see the LORD is good..) It's an arbitrary image, but I feel it catches what he was like. Blessed Sweetness, everywhere found, in my heart dwell most profound!
He exemplifies for me what it means to be a Christian. A couple of quotes:
"..In difficulties one had only to turn to Jesus Christ and ask for his grace, after which all became easy.."
"He gave thought neither of death, nor his sins, nor Paradise nor Hell, but only to do small things for the love of God. Great things he had not in him the power to do. That done, there would come upon him only what God should will. And of that he had no concern... Thus he was concerned about nothing, feared nothing, and asked nothing save that he not offend God.."
This is the wisdom of Carmel. Brother Lawrence springs from this same tradition that earlier had given the Church St. Simon Stock, St. Theresa of Avila and St. John of the Cross; and was to later produce St. Therese of Lisieux, the Little Flower. This is the flaming heart of Christian spirituality, in its searing purity.
Each moment is another opportunity to surrender your heart to God. The Holy Spirit is ever about and within us, and time is simply the unfolding of His grace.
As my second favorite Jesuit, Fr. G. M. Hopkins, once wrote: "The world is charged with the Grandeur of God: it shines out like shining from shook foil, it gathers to a greatness like the ooze of oil crushed.."
This book is yet another manifesto reminding us that it is God in whom we live & move and have our being. He is intimately with us always, unto all time. Peace, then. Cultivate awareness of His presence. You cannot be harmed. Neither death nor sin can separate us from the love of God. Only our eternal refusal to seek His mercy & embrace Him can do that.
Also check out anything by Fr. Jean Caussade SJ or St. Therese of the Child Jesus, the above mentioned Little Flower. The French really had it going on back then. Pray that la premiere fille de l'Eglise may once again regain her splendor.
Frere Laurent prie pour nous.
Father Elijah, transfigured with the Lord, intercede for us.
All the saints of Carmel, pray for us.
Our Lady of Mount Carmel, bless us.
Book Review: Knowing Christ in Practice
Summary: 4 Stars
Brother Lawrence has given us a very practical approach to experiencing the presence of Christ moment-by-moment. He desribes in wonderful simplicity what it is like to walk in constant awareness of the love of God.
Lawrence writes, "If I were a preacher, I would preach nothing but practicing the presence of God... I would urge everyone to be aware of God's constant presence, if for no other reason than because His presence is a delight to our souls and spirits."
Lawrence shares of practical exercises that he found ushers him into the daily presence of God. What might seem ritualistic and unnatural... should become very natural and fluid. He covers the topic of effective prayer and helps us to break away from our religious concepts of the spiritual life. It is time to draw near to God as Person instead of the distant Father who demands work to gain favor.
This little book will aid you in your pursuit of experiencing the depths and riches of Jesus Christ. It will help to bring about the much anticipated spiritual revolution that the church so desperately needs in our day. If you are ready to leave religion and are looking to find the natural faith of Christ... Brother Lawrence will help in that journey.
I also recommend reading:
EXPERIENCING THE DEPTHS OF JESUS CHRIST VOLUME 2
THE SPIRITUAL MAN VOLUMES 1,2, 3
The Release of the Spirit
The Centrality of Jesus Christ (Works of T. Austin-Sparks) Volume One
Book Review: Dishonest paraphrase; get the translation from Spire
Summary: 1 Stars
The 1982 publication by Whitaker House is not very good at all. It is a loose paraphrase. In the words of the publisher's preface: "In this abridged edition, we have sought to update and clarify the language of this Christian classic, paraphrasing where necessary, while keeping the essence of the message intact." It goes way overboard. It excises several passages, some of which are distinctly Catholic:
A) mention of praying at set times throughout the day (in his Carmelite monastery) in Conversation #2
B) a reference to receiving absolution through a confessor in Conversation #2
C) references in Conversation #2 to acts of mortification are corrupted; Br. Lawrence spoke of "bodily mortifications" as "useless, except as they serve to arrive at the union with God by love" and that "all possible kinds of mortification, if they were void of the love of God, could not efface a single sin." (pp. 21-22) The Whitaker version renders these two separate clauses as one, "that all possible good works or self-abasing acts of contrition we could possibly do would not erase a single sin." (p. 18)
D) a quote from Br. Lawrence at the end of Conversation #4 in which he mentions kneeling in the presence of the Blessed Sacrament
It also re-orders his 15 letters, damaging them in the process:
A) Whitaker's Letter #6 appears to be completely fabricated
B) Br. Lawrence's 11th and 13th letters are missing completely, probably because they praise the salvific quality of suffering and bearing suffering joyfully
C) Br. Lawrence's 14th and 15th letters are merged into one, retaining only the first sentence of letter #14
The edition published by Spire is far better.