Brother Lawrence's The Practice of the Presence of God
Called an "unparalleled classic", The Practice of the Presence of God has moved readers for centuries. In this admired collection of letters dating back to the 1600s, author Brother Lawrence (born Nicholas Herman) pens spiritually convicting passages, sharing his insights about the loving presence of Almighty God.
Even today, Christian readers open Brother Lawrence's letters to glean understanding of the majesty and blessing of God in our everyday lives. A quick review of the book's comments page on goodreads.com reveals The Practice of the Presence of God's current impact. Goodreads.com reviewers, numbering almost 17,200, rate the book 4.3 stars out of 5, saying it's "a gem", "one of the best books I ever read", and "amazing, beautiful".
In the 1895 publication of Brother Lawrence's work, Holiness movement author Hannah Whitall Smith introduces the Catholic monk to readers as one who was "not troubled with any theological difficulties or doctrinal dilemmas. For him these did not exist. His one single aim was to bring about a conscious personal union between himself and God, and he took the shortest cut he could find to accomplish it. The result can best be described in his own words:
"If I dare use the expression, I should choose to call this state the bosom of God, for the inexpressible sweetness which I taste and experience there." - Brother Lawrence, The Practice of the Presence of God
God remains, in some ways, a mystery, even to the most veteran of believers. Thus, His glory-filled presence yields such great curiosity in those of us who wonder.
If you're curious, as I am, there's good news. Brother Lawrence's entire book is available to read online for free. Open the book and delve into what this consecrated man of God realized about the tangible manifestation of our Heavenly Father.
