Many years ago I read a small book that had a real impact on me and changed how I viewed the Christian life, that book was ‘The Practice Of The Presence Of God‘ by Brother Lawrence, a 17th century monk. Before reading that book, and during many relapses since then, my relationship with God was like a long distance telephone call that occurred from time to time. It wasn’t until my early 20′s that I had any concept of the “presence” of God outside the biblical accounts of His glory as it appeared to the Patriarchs in blinding fashion. My reading of this book corresponded with my realization of the indwelling Spirit.

This past Sunday, Pete Wilson continued in his series ‘Shaped: Discovering your unique life with God‘ in a message entitled ‘Beyond the Surface Level’ which resurrected a memory of that little book I read some 20-odd years ago. In his message, Pete pointed out the stark contrast between how we often tend to pray and prayer that occurs in the context of God’s continual presence. When God is distant, we tend to try and invoke His hearing with formulation and intonation of our words in a chance that we can use the correct formula to get God to pay attention. In God’s presence, there is no need of formula and prayer is not a struggle.

As I considered his words, I reflected back on a time in my life when I had a clear realization of God’s continual presence in my life. During that time, my prayer life was more of an offering time, where I simple lifted things up to God while in His presence. Often my prayers consisted of fewer words and was more of simply being “before Him”. I remember having a personal practice of simply “remembering” things and people before God. Often, this was done without words. When I think about it, I can say that it was much like a young child, who has not yet mastered language, who holds something interesting in his hand and attempts to engage you by looking at the object then lifting it up to you– be it a toy, a piece of cheese or a booger. My old dog Leebie used to do something similar when she would dig up old rawhides in the yard, prance the muddy things into the house, just to show them to me before returning to the yard to burry them again– it was simply a way of her sharing what was of great interest to her at that moment, much like my prayers were.

Pete encouraged the church to practice silence and solitude this week as a way of encouraging the practice of the presence of God. It’s funny, because unless you can realize the continual presence of God you don’t really experience it– even though it is there. Brother Lawrence lived a life within the reality of God’s presence, so much so, that when his Superior would instruct him to take moments of solitude in designated prayer and meditation he would find it much less fruitful than simply living a life of continual prayer while carrying out the banality of human living. I have never known anyone who lived such a continually surrendered transcendent life as Brother Lawrence apparently had, but I have had seasons of my life where I experienced glimpses up such a living, and it was great to have this reminder to experience God’s presence in prayer. It leaves me with a fresh desire to remain in a experience where God’s presence is continual and real, in such a way that I can simply lift my hands and show Him something, without ever speaking a word.