Beautifully Simple

I’ve been rereading Brother Lawrence’s the practice of the presence OF GOD. It’s one of several classics I try to reread often; classics such as Andrew Murray’s waiting on GOD and Absolute Surrender, Watchman Nee’s The Normal Christian Life, J.I. Packer’s Knowing GOD, Hannah Smith’s GOD of all Comfort, just to name a few. I do this because every time I discover another nugget, something I didn’t get before, something I missed or glossed over or perhaps forgot.

Take Brother Lawrence’s book. It’s beautifully simple, but in its simplicity is able to compress so much Scripture into just four words: love God, love others. Sometimes I need “simple” to keep me from muddling the picture. And for me, Brother Lawrence’s life and book does just that. He worked in the kitchen and then the sandal repair shop during much of his time as a Carmelite lay-brother in the 1600s. He once said, “It’s not necessary to have great things to do.” But everything he did, he did for love of God and his fellows. Every act, no matter how small, how menial, was done out of this love. He had a true servant’s heart and was utterly devoted to God. And in his humility and simplicity, he developed an extraordinary relationship with Jesus.

It’s a wonderful lesson. In this world where we are judged by what we have and what we’ve accomplished, it’s easy to forget that we don’t have to do anything great to be pleasing to God. In fact, God is not really looking for “great” men and women. He’s looking for men and women who greatly love Him and the people He has placed in their lives; men and women whose simple, everyday tasks are turned into acts of worship and love. We need to remember this when we are getting up early to go to that job that is less than exciting, or washing another load of dishes, or doing the never ending laundry, or mowing that forever growing lawn, or driving the kids to yet another soccer game or music lesson. If these acts are done in the right spirit they are indeed acts greatly pleasing to God, and just as in Brother Lawrence’s case, can lead us into a truly deep and glorious relationship with Jesus.

Until next time,

Sylvia