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Lawrence and Laubach A PDF
Lawrence and Laubach A PDF
Meet Brother Lawrence: Born in 1611. Lay- with him and in letters he wrote to people who
brother in Carmelite community in Paris. Became sought his insights.
well known for his remarkable and serene faith as
he focused his life on “practicing the presence of Meet Frank Laubach: Born in 1884. Missionary
God.” Sought-out by church dignitaries and to the Philippines and pioneer in the literacy
royalty for his guidance. Summary of his movement whose methods are still widely
principle: Live as though God is beside you and followed. He began to practice the presence of
with you all the time—as indeed he is. Seek to do God at age forty-five. When he died, forty years
what he wants, as and when he commands it, and later, he was one of the most widely known and
make his command your joy and chief pleasure. best loved men of the twentieth century. Recorded
The man who lives like that will be fully human, his thoughts and experiences in letters to his
completely Christian and genuinely happy. His father, in his journals, and in books.
thoughts were recorded by others who conversed
into every corner and hidden place, bringing light flowing. The river flows wherever there is low
and joy. We stop the current mainly by the way land cleared and ready before it. The thirsty land
we undervalue God’s gifts. Simply to want him, does nothing but drink up the goodness.
above everything else, is the way to set the waters
continuous silent conversation of heart to heart saints. Indeed, the spiritual giants of all ages have
speaking with God while looking into other eyes known it. “Pray without ceasing,” said Paul, “in
and listening to other voices. . . . This simple everything make your wants known unto God.”
practice requires only a gentle pressure of the will. “As many as are led by the spirit of God, these are
It grows easier as the habit becomes fixed. the sons of God.” It is a practice as old as Enoch,
How is [friendship with God] to be achieved? who “walked with God.” It is a way of living
Precisely as any friendship is achieved. By doing which nearly everybody knows and nearly
things together. The depth and intensity of the everybody has ignored.
friendship will depend upon the variety and extent The notion that religion is dull, stupid and
of the things we do and enjoy together. . . . sleepy is abhorrent to God, for He has created
Friends must walk together; they cannot long infinite variety and He loves to surprise us. If you
stand still together, for that means death to are weary of some sleepy form of devotion,
friendship and to life. . . . So we may grow into probably God is as weary of it as you are. Shake
closer love with God by widening into His out of it, and approach Him in one of the
interests, and thinking His thoughts and sharing countless fresh directions.
His enterprises. . . . We shall not become like
Christ until we give Him more time. . . . Christ
“chose them [the disciples],” the Bible says, “that Closer than a Brother, Brother Lawrence edited
they might be with Him,” 168 hours a week! by David Winter, Harold Shaw Publishers,
This practicing the presence of Christ takes all Wheaton, IL, 1971. Practicing His Presence,
our time, yet does not take from our work. It takes Brother Lawrence and Frank Laubach edited by
Christ into our enterprises and makes them more Gene Edwards, The Seed Sowers, Beaumont, TX,
successful. Practicing the presence of God is not 1978.
on trial. It has already been proven by countless