Shhh! Be quiet and listen.

Yesterday while waiting to get out of the "Black Hole" called Kandahar I had an opportunity to finish reading Brother Lawrence "The Practice of the Presence of God". This was recomended to me by David Eames over a year ago and I had put it on my computer to bring here with me.

Brother Lawrence was born in France in 1610 and after being a soldier as a young man became a Monastic Priest. Brother Lwaerence spent His life dedicated to being in continious Presence of God. His letters, however brief, illustrate his dedication to this pursuit, which in his words was achieved. Every moment of his time was spent in service and devoted to doing nothing outside of His will. His every thought focussed on this task.

He found at first, many years of reflection of his own life, his sin, and the things that were not of God. His later years developed into concious realization of Gods presence in His life at all times. This truly facinated me, the thought of our ability to submitt to this kind of devotion. To meditate every effort and thought on that of God, evryday. Brother Lawrence even states that he did not pick a piece of straw from the ground with unless it was of the Spirit and to the Glory of God.

I pondered this for a while debating in my mind if this was feasable today, in our time. If I could, with all of the distractions in my life, find a way to be in the Presence of God, continiously. Hey there is a big difference between the 1600's and today. Life was simpler then right? That shouldn't hold me back, my efforts should still be the same if possible. It is all perspective as they also had their distractions, different but still distractions. And after all, the Bible is 2000 years old and it still is aplicable in our lives.

Brother Lawrence, describes part of the process as being able to clear the mind of all other thoughts during prayer. To sit without distractions and focus solely on nothing but Him. This is something that I need work on. How my mind wonders when I pray. I can not go but just a minute without the thought of something other than God poping into my head at causing me to shift to that subject. Because of this, you can hear in my verbal prayers the shifts as I go from my family to the world, from the church to fellowship. The mind wonders and the voice follows.

So at lunch, while the Muslims were in prayer inside the church I sat outside on the porch and descided that I would do nothing but sit and attempt to focus only on the cross. Just the cross for the hour. No prayer, no other thoughts of home or family, just the cross in my mind. It was difficult and several times I had to move a thought out and reestablish the picture in my mind. But for long moments I had nothing but the cross. It was nice and I began to be able to focus quicker back to that moment as it faded into thought.

My hour went by quickly, I was actually shocked when I finally looked at the time. I was content with the hour and realized, maybe just in a small way that it is possible to remove the distractions enough to focus soely on Him. We can become patient and thoughtless of sorts and allow Him to speak to our Hearts. I believe that I don't necessarily have to hear His voice but simpley be in a state that He can work within me. This seemed to be that moment.

I will continue to practice this. I think it is a good state to progress to in my walk, finding queitness for Him to work within me. Not my thought, not my will, but His be done. Brother Lawrence begin His journey in this manner, and developed in into a continual presence with God in His life. Maybe, just maybe, I can achieve what He has done.

So I issue a Classic Frank Wray Challenge, today, spend some time just in quiet, focussed only on Him. No questions, no prayer request, nothing of yourself, just quiet and Him. Do this for one hour and as a thought arrises gently push it aside and return to the cross.

I pray a peace today for all and a quietness in our hearts as we seek Him. Let our hearts then be opened for His filling and His desires and void of ours. May we learn to begin to walk fully with Him and all that we do be to His honor and His Glory.