This is what the Lord says: “Let not the wise boast of their wisdom or the strong boast of their strength or the rich boast of their riches, but let the one who boasts boast about this: that they have the understanding to know me, that I am the Lord, who exercises kindness, justice and righteousness on earth, for in these I delight,” declares the Lord. Jeremiah 9:23-24
“God knows best what is needful for us, and all that He does is for our good. If we knew how much He loves us, we should be always ready to receive equally and with indifference from His hand the sweet and the bitter; all would please that came from Him. The sorest afflictions never appear intolerable, but when we see them in the wrong light. When we see them in the hand of God, who dispenses them: when we know that it is our loving Father, who abases and distresses us: our sufferings will lose their bitterness, and become even matter of consolation.
Let all our employment be to know God: the more one knows Him, the more one desires to know Him. And as knowledge is commonly the measure of love, the deeper and more extensive our knowledge shall be, the greater will be our love: and if our love of God were great we should love Him equally in pains and pleasures.
Let us not amuse ourselves to seek or to love God for any sensible favors (how elevated soever) which He has or may do us. Such favors, though never so great, cannot bring us so near to God as faith does in one simple act. Let us seek Him often by faith: He is within us; seek Him not elsewhere. Are we not rude and deserve blame, if we leave Him alone, to busy ourselves about trifles, which do not please Him and perhaps offend Him? ‘Tis to be feared these trifles will one day cost us dear.
Let us begin to be devoted to Him in good earnest. Let us cast everything besides out of our hearts; He would possess them alone. Beg this favor of Him. If we do what we can on our parts, we shall soon see that change wrought in us which we aspire after. I cannot thank Him sufficiently for the relaxation He has vouchsafed you. I hope from His mercy the favor to see Him within a few days. Let us pray for one another.
[He took to his bed two days after and died within the week.]Brother Lawrence (c. 1614-1691) in The Practice of the Presence of God: The Best Rule of Holy Life (Grand Rapids: CCEL) 31.
Today is the final post from Brother Lawrence. These are his famous last words before his death. He urged us to know God. The one who knows God has no fear. Those who know God receive everything equally and with indifference because we know the sovereign God behind the circumstances.
Rather than seek “sensible favors” from God, let us seek to know God. That’s what Brother Lawrence would urge us to do in these challenging COVID times. When we do, we find that generosity comes into view from a God who loves us, is with us, and always works things out for our good.
We also cease pursuing trifles and we shift to pursuing God. I hope you are pausing with me at the divine hours to pray the Psalms (6am, 9am, 12noon, 3pm, 6pm, 9pm and 12midnight or bedtime).