By Lance Mayes
Psalm 84
One of the first things that pops in my mind when I read Psalm 84 is a book I read in college, The Practice of the Presence of God by Brother Lawrence. Brother Lawrence was a seventeenth century French monk who served at a monastery in the kitchen.
“… we should establish ourselves in a sense of God’s presence by continually conversing with [God].”
“And it was observed that in the greatest hurry of business in the kitchen he still preserved his recollection and heavenly-mindedness.”
“The time of business does not with me differ from the time of prayer; and in the noise and clatter of my kitchen while several persons are at the same time calling for different things, I posses God in as great tranquility as if I were upon my knees at the blessed sacrament.”
Brother Lawrence saw his job as a chance to worship God. He remembered that he was constantly in God’s presence whether in the kitchen or on his knees in prayer.
The Psalmist encourages us to remember how joyful it is to be in God’s presence and that God will provide God’s strength and times of refreshing when we especially need it.
How can we practice being in God’s presence? How can we continually be conversing with God? How do we experience God’s presence whether we are in corporate worship on Sunday morning or the daily grind of our jobs? How can we remember to talk with God in the midst of our trials, our sorrows and our joys?
Hang on to these truths today. Rest in God’s presence and receive God’s joy, strength and refreshing. Let’s all practice God’s presence together.