Photo by Gaelle Marcel on Unsplash
Eyes Wide in Wonder
In his book, The Practice of the Presence of God, Brother Lawrence writes,
“There is no sweeter and delightful life than that of a continual communion with God… If I were a preacher, I would preach the practice of the presence of God above all things. If I were a spiritual director, I would advise everyone to practice it. This is how necessary I think it is, and it is also easy.”
The Practice of the Presence of God is one of my favorite books, and it also happens to be the shortest and smallest one on my shelf. Almost invisible amongst the other larger, more colorful bindings and titles, it holds a vast well of knowledge and wisdom and packs a mighty spiritual punch.
Brother Lawrence served as a monk in a Carmelite monastery in Paris in the 1600s. He spent his days serving in the kitchen as a cook and doing what we would consider janitorial work. He wasn’t given some fancy title and wasn’t of any high spiritual rank in the monastery.
But, as his letters in the book, The Practice of the Presence of God, illustrate, his relationship with Jesus was very intimate and oh-so-sweet. He learned how to commune closely with the Creator amongst the most mundane and, perhaps, most undesirable daily tasks.
As he cooked meals, served them to the rest of his fellow monks, cleaned out bedpans, and mopped floors, I believe what made Brother Lawrence’s relationship with God so sweet and intimate was his ability to see.
He saw past the mundaneness of the moment and chose to glimpse eternity by believing that God lived within every moment, making every moment sacred. Even cleaning out bedpans and sweeping floors can become a sacrament if it reminds you to praise the One from Whom you receive the strength to serve.
This ability to see reminds me of Jesus’ question to Simon the Pharisee in Luke 7:44-45,
“Then he turned toward the woman and said to Simon, “Do you see this woman? I came into your house. You did not give me any water for my feet, but she wet my feet with her tears and wiped them with her hair. You did not give me a kiss, but this woman, from the time I entered, has not stopped kissing my feet.”
(NIV)
The woman that Jesus is referring to here was a known prostitute who had wandered into Simon’s home as he, Jesus, and a few others were dining and reclining at the dinner table. When she entered, Simon only saw her ill reputation, but Jesus saw her whole heart, her soul, and her very being. He glimpsed eternity in her heart and because of that, the kingdom of Heaven grew close, the space between Heaven and Earth growing thin.
Simon’s inability to see the closeness of the Kingdom right there in his dining room caused him to miss out on the great gift of Love that was right in front of him.
And because the woman saw Jesus, and received Him seeing her, she was forgiven and given Love and sent on her way; a new woman with a new Hope.
Seeing is often the difference between life and death, both spiritually and physically. And how often I am Simon the Pharisee, not seeing because I’m focused on external things or distracted by my own inability to see past the material.
But I want to see.
I want to taste and see the goodness of God growing closer and closer within all things; tired hands preparing a meal, steam rising from a simmering pot, heaping mounds of laundry needing to be folded, the sound of different voices in a sanctuary rising to worship One Savior, tears of grief running down cheeks, the desperate voice of a friend or stranger needing to be heard, a toilet that needs cleaning, a dog that needs walked.
I light a candle and know in my heart that God is present. Not because the candle is lit but because the candle reminds me that God’s presence is all around me, like a steady, glowing flame that never dies out. I close my eyes to pray, knowing that eyes closed in communion with God is how I learn to see His presence moving with eyes open.
“Your eyes are windows into your body. If you open your eyes wide in wonder and belief, your body fills up with light. If you live squinty-eyed in greed and distrust, your body is a musty cellar. If you pull the blinds on your windows, what a dark life you will have!” (Luke 6:22-23, MSG)
Eyes open wide in wonder help me wander right into the presence of God in all things.
Eyes open wide in the belief that the Kingdom of Heaven is near brings Heaven right to my door — brings the presence of Love right through the door.
“Oh, my Love,” I pray, “open these blind eyes so that I may see You in all people and all things.”
Peace be with you,
Celia
A Breath Prayer for Your Weekend
breathe in:
Open my eyes wide, Lord.
breathe out:
In wonder and belief.
*if you’d like to learn more about the practice of breath prayer, check out this blog post I wrote titled, How to Use Breath Prayer.
Join the Sacred Spaces Community
Are you longing to be more attentive to God’s presence in your everyday life?
Do you have the desire to know God’s love and grow in deeper communion with Him?
Are you sensing the Spirit’s invitation to grow spiritually but don’t know where to begin?
Do you feel tired, worn out, or burnt out on religion?
Are you craving rest, refreshment of soul, and perhaps a different way of being with God?
In the Sacred Spaces community, we’re going to journey deeper into the heart of God together, putting our ears to His chest as we gently trod toward Homebase, by exploring different Christian contemplative practices that are designed to open our hearts to the Spirit’s leading and loving voice in our souls and lives. By subscribing to Sacred Spaces for just $5 a month, you’ll gain immediate access to:
monthly emails that will be sent out on the 1st of every month containing that month’s spiritual practice, action steps, and tools, outside additional resources, and weekly reflection questions
Soul Care Sessions, where you can book a 30-minute one-on-one Zoom call with me to talk about that month's spiritual practice, what the Lord is revealing to you, or what you're wrestling with. It's an invitation to come as you are as the Holy Spirit leads our time together and cares for your soul
a community chat in the Substack app where you can engage with other community members and me about that month’s email or whatever else may be stirring within you
Click here to join or read more about it:
Resources & Good Things to Pick Up
Grab a copy of The Practice of the Presence of God here: On Amazon
This week on my website, I wrote a long-form piece of writing on what Christian spiritual formation is and how to live into it. If this topic interests you, or you want to learn more about the Abide Spiritual Formation Program, check it out here: Understanding Christian Spiritual Formation
I oftentimes hold a palm cross as a sacrament — my own reminder of God’s presence with me. You can pick one up at The Beholding Co. here: Olive Wool Palm Cross
My friend and licensed spiritual director, Kari Bartkus, offers an 8-week journaling program for those who want to process their grief and trauma with God within the safety of blank journal pages. I’ve completed the program myself and can say confidently that it was incredibly impactful and healing: Journal Gently
Grab some breath prayer cards, a journal, and other contemplative resources from my Etsy shop: The Beholding Co.
Grab a copy of my Bible study, You Are Beloved: a 21-day study on how to root your identity in the love of God, over on Amazon. And if you’d like a free 3-day sample of the study, hit reply to this email and I’ll send it right over!
An Invitation to Pause & Reflect
A regular practice of reflection helps us recognize what’s going on beneath the surface of our souls so we can name it in the Lord’s presence. Because as we learn to name what we feel, what we need, and what we long for, we’re also learning to discern the Spirit’s sweet, gentle voice within our hearts and lives.
Take a few moments today or this weekend to journal or contemplate with the Holy Spirit the following question(s) or prompt(s):
A sacrament is “an outward and visible sign of an inward and spiritual grace”. A sacrament is anything — an object, action, or even sound — that reminds you of the presence of Love with you. A sacrament doesn’t make God’s presence any nearer than He already is, but it does help us see His nearness
Look around your home and your life. What do you engage with as everyday sacraments?
What sacrament(s) might you begin engaging with?