Sunday, June 6, 2010

Significant Experiences Addendum 4

"Practicing His Presence" - Frank Laubach and Brother Lawrence (From Chapter 1 “The Foretaste”)

"As for me, I had resolved that I would succeed better this year with my experiment of filling every minute full of the thought of God than I succeeded last year."

"Two years ago a profound dissatisfaction led me to begin trying to line up my actions with the will of God about every fifteen minutes or every half hour. Other people to whom I confessed this intention said it was impossible...But this year I have started out to live all my waking moments in conscious listening to the inner voice, asking without ceasing, "What Father do you desire said? What Father do you desire this minute?" It is clear that this is exactly what Jesus was doing all day every day."

"For the past few days I have been experimenting in a more complete surrender than ever before. I am taking by deliberate act of will, enough time from each hour to give God much thought. Yesterday and today I have made a new adventure, which is not easy to express. I am feeling God in each movement, by an act of will—willing that He shall direct these fingers that now strike this typewriter—willing that He shall pour through my steps as I walk—willing that He shall direct my words as I speak, and my very jaws as I eat!

You will object to this intense introspection. Do not try it, unless you feel unsatisfied with your own relationship with God, but at least allow me to realize all the leadership of God I can. I am disgusted with the pettiness and futility of my unled self. If the way out is not more perfect slavery to God, then what is the way out? I am trying to be utterly free from everybody, free from my own self, but completely enslaved to the will of God every moment of this day."

"It is exactly that "moment by moment" every waking moment, surrender, responsiveness, obedience, sensitiveness, pliability, "lost in His love," that I now have the mind bent to explore with all my might, to respond to Jesus as a violin responds to the bow of the master."