Brother Lawrence

I recently read – or reread – Brother Lawrence’s “The Practice of the Presence of God”, and enjoyed the chance to reflect on his gentle reminders of the value of just being with God and recognising that fact. As he says: “we do not always have to be in church to be with God. We may make an oratory of our heart so we can, from time to time, retire to converse with Him in meekness, humility, and love. Every one is capable of such familiar conversation with God, some more, some less. He knows what we can do.” He picks up the idea of prayer (being in the presence of God) as a holy habit. “How can we pray to Him without being with Him? How can we be with Him but in thinking of Him often? And how can we often think of Him, but by a holy habit which we should form of it?” Our relationship with God is key and developed as we spend time in God’s presence. Knowing about God is good, but not enough. We need to know God. “We must know before we can love. In order to know God, we must often think of Him. And when we come to love Him, we shall then also think of Him often, for our heart will be with our treasure.” So, Brother Lawrence encourages us – “get in the habit of often thinking of God, and forget Him the least you can.”