June 5
Beloved of Good Shepherd Church
Grace to you and peace in Jesus Christ our Lord!
I have learned something from you. Actually you and the Christian mystic Brother Lawrence (1611-1691) have both been my teachers lately. I have been reading Br. Lawrence with some church friends and have happily been engaging his practice of the presence of God. The practice is simple and tender. It consists of gently turning one’s heart and mind toward God and God’s love during the ordinary activities of daily life. Devotion to this practice causes one to fall deeper and deeper in love with God. When I stop and look around here at Good Shepherd I see you deeply in love with God.
People who are deeply in love with God forgive quickly because they are spending all their energy on love and don’t want to use up precious bandwidth on resentment.
People who are deeply in love with God don’t hold grudges because they are getting all of their emotional needs met by God. They know that only God can love them the way they truly need to be loved, so they don’t put that expectation on other people.
People who are deeply in love with God are not shocked and dismayed by challenges and suffering because they are too busy looking for God buried in the midst of all things. They are endlessly curious, searching always for the love that God has hidden for them in every moment. God delights to watch them search for love and is overjoyed when they find what He has tucked away for them.
Good Shepherd is a school where we can learn to fall deeply in love with God together by glancing God’s way throughout the day. I am so thankful for all the many ways you teach me to love!
This line from Br. Lawrence seems to say it all - “What can please God more than if we leave all created things many times during the day to withdraw and respect Love present within?”
If you’re interested in learning more about Br. Lawrence and the Practice of the Presence of God come join us at the Mystics Reading Group. We will begin reading Br. Lawrence together on Monday, June 23rd at 5:30 p.m. Learn more HERE.
Remember this always - God loves you, and I love you too!
Love is all,
Hendree+