Customer Reviews

The Practice of the Presence of God: Writings and Conversations

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The challange of Br. Lawrence's spirituality is its simplicity. The reader is presented with a common sense approach to the spiritual life the carries a great challange. The idea of carrying on an on going conversation with God wherever we find ourselves is the heart of this spirituality. The challange comes in when we attempt this in a world filled with distractions. This particular translation gives the reader more insight into the living out of "the Practice of the Presence of God." I find it a good source for those seeking a way to draw clser to God.

I realized how lacking in trust my Christian faith was until I read this book and began truly practicing the presence of God. The remedy for every anxiety is contained in the Bible and this book. As an anxious person by nature, I was calmed, comforted, and encouraged by this book. I own a copy and refer to it weekly for strength, insight, and reminders that God loves us deeply and wishes to be united with us at all times, in all the tasks we are obligated to fulfill. Nothing is too small for the Lord and our time is made holy when it is spent communing with Him and His people.

A rare gem (spirituality)

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 for 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 shuld 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 !

The title "The Practice of the Presence of God" sums up the essence of this book. Brother Lawrence is a humble monk who discovers that, even in ordinary, secular, mundane activities (washing dishes, gardening, etc.), God is present. He even goes so far to say that prayer and meditation bring him no closer to the universal spirit than any other activity; through mindfulness, he is aware of God in everything he does. (Think Nirvana - extinguishing the flame of desire.) Proselytizing, evangelizing, and the usual arrogances that accompany many self-indulgent "believers" are absent. Br. Lawrence humbly strives to work for others and think only of God. That is all. He even cautions a recipient of one of his letters against sharing the note. (One feels almost unjust even reading his intimate spiritual thoughts.) But, fortunately for us, as this work is now ubiquitous, we may as well take note of his honorable life. He belongs in a small group of similar mystics (Mother Teresa of Avila, St. Augustine, Swami Vivekananda, Gandhi, Siddhartha, and Ramakrishna), who showed that through humility, love, and faith in the spirit, positive change can be made. This is an inspring book for people of all faiths.

My comments do not have the benefit of hindsight as so far I have only dipped

into the contents if this book, which undoubtedly give one much room for

thought and another perspective on an individual's spiritual quest.

This wonderful little book is another in the history of deep Christian spiritual practice that can change one's life, if, and a big "if" it is, one simply follows excellent advice. Refreshing to the seeker of help in a quest for a genuine experience of God, this little manual of reflections covers so simply the basic things needed, where other writings might be much longer. Also refreshing to the seeker will be the consistancy internally in the little book, as well as its consistancy to other classic guides such as The Cloud Of Unknowning, also highly recommended in order to flesh out concepts mentioned in this smaller work....both are wonderful works of the type so much needed in this world...true and worthy guides to God. Refreshing to the agnostic or non-Christian will be both works' amazing consistancy to the deepest spiritual teachings of other traditions such as Zen, which for the non-believer cannot help but be encouraging when such widely seperated writings in both time and space all point to such a well-agreed-upon truth and path.