Casandra Martin

My son is in the orchestra. He plays the double bass (the big instrument in the back). He loves it, and it has been a lot of fun to watch (hear) him grow over the years. His very first orchestra teacher gave him a great rule of thumb – only practice on the days you eat. She knew that consistent, regular practice was essential to becoming a great string player.

Everything we want to do well takes practice. There is a little book that was written over three hundred years ago by a man named Brother Lawrence – The Practice of the Presence of God. In this collection of letters and conversations, Brother Lawrence tells of a choice he made when he was assigned to work in the kitchen. He decided that he would devote his days to being with God, no matter his task. He peeled potatoes with God. He washed dishes with God. He learned to spend His days with God.

I like the title of his book. It highlights the truth that fully experiencing the presence of God requires a learning process. It is a journey. It isn’t a switch you turn off or on. It is a determination to seek out His presence more today than I did yesterday. It takes practice. Practice means that there will be A+ days and days that don’t go so well. Days in which I dive into the process with anticipation and days in which I have to push myself to participate. Practice trains my eyes, my heart, my ears. and my soul to gradually be a little more sensitive, a little more ready, and a little more alert to His presence.

So here is My Jesus Resolution. I will practice the presence of God. I will practice seeing Him in the kitchen, in the laundry, in the people around me, and in the places I go today. I will do my homework, knowing that the lessons will help me see His face. I am only going to practice on the days I eat. Will you practice with me?