Wisdom Ages Well

Brother Lawrence of the Resurrection wrote the following words somewhere around 1666. I read it again today, and found God speaking loud and clear through this potato-peeling monk from the seventeenth century:

"Again, we ought not to be weary of doing little things for the love of God, who really doesn't think about the greatness of what we do, but the love with which it is performed.

"If at first we often fail to do everything for the love of God, never mind; the new habit will be formed before long. And once that habit is fixed, certain acts are bound to follow naturally, and to our great delight.

"The greater the perfection one desires, the greater the dependence on divine grace."

"Practicing the Presence of God" was the title of Brother Lawrence's little treatise, and much like the spiritual disciplines, its takes "practice" to learn how to do everything based in love of God and enjoy His presence continually -- "pray all the time" (I Thessalonians 5:17, The Message). I think I've found a real New Year's Resolution after all!