The Practice of the Presence of Jesus

Description

Discover the joy of intentionally dwelling in the presence of God as the beloved author of Joni weaves contemporary insights with the timeless wisdom of seventeenth-century monk Brother Lawrence.

“Suffering has a way of heaving you beyond the shallows of life where your faith feels ankle-deep. It casts you out into the fathomless depths of God.” —Joni, from the Introduction

Brother Lawrence lived through the drudgeries of monastery kitchen duty during the turbulence of 1600s France. Joni Eareckson Tada suffered a terrible accident that broke her neck and left her paralyzed. This tragedy led her from a life of distant faith to a life as a devout Christian, and she later became a worldwide disability advocate and influencer, sharing her experiences of suffering with grace. In both their lives, they each found the secret to peace, joy, and a way of being in constant conversation with the Father . . . every day and every hour . . . practicing the presence of God.

The Practice of the Presence of Jesus ushers in wisdom from these two everyday saints, more than 400 years apart, to teach and inspire you to experience the nearness of God in your life. Through rich devotional content from Brother Lawrence’s The Practice of the Presence of God, accompanied by original art and never-before-published insights from Joni, you’ll experience a unique blend of past and present wisdom on such themes as humility, thankfulness, fear, worship, obedience, and more. Each devotion ushers you into the peace of the Good Shepherd.“The Practice of the Presence of Jesus celebrates the legacy of Brother Lawrence, bears witness to Joni’s remarkable life of faith, and most of all, honors the Savior they both love. With remarkable biblical, theological, emotional, and artistic range, these daily devotionals touch on nearly every aspect of our walk with God. The result is a new devotional classic that bears marks of the author’s suffering and also sings with ineffable joy. It is not merely Christ-centered; it is Christ-saturated.”—Philip Ryken, president of Wheaton College

“I know few people more in tune with God’s tender, loving presence than Joni. She radiates joy and peace, and every interaction with her makes it clear that she keeps close company with her Savior. Her reflections on the beloved writings of Brother Lawrence are sure to provide readers with the inspiration and encouragement they need to practice the presence of Jesus.”—Jim Daly, president of Focus on the Family

“In this amazing book, Joni doesn’t just tell us how to practice the presence of Jesus; she also shows us by the powerful example of her own pain-filled life. Thank you, Joni, for renewing my earnest desire to have an enlarged heart of worship and love for Jesus . . . a heart like yours.”—Anne Graham Lotz, author of Jesus in Me, international Bible teacher

“The Practice of the Presence of Jesus acts as a faithful guide, drawing us away from the world’s busyness by helping us meditate on heavenly truths. Joni beautifully interweaves quotes from Brother Lawrence alongside her devotional insights, allowing us to glean from her wisdom as we behold the goodness of God.”—Melissa Kruger, author and vice president of discipleship programming at The Gospel Coalition

“Joni is a trophy of God’s grace and a demonstration of what it means to find deep satisfaction in Christ. The pearls she offers in The Practice of the Presence of Jesus—besides being a treasure trove of rich devotional material—help us not only to understand but also to access for ourselves the secret to Joni’s joy: In being with the Savior, we become like him.”—Scott Sauls, senior pastor of Christ Presbyterian Church and author of Beautiful People Don’t Just Happen

“These meditations invite you into the throne room of your Savior King, where the tenderest of daily mercies can be found. It is clear that Joni worshipped her way through the writing of this book, and you will be led to worship as you read it. Since Jesus is our only hope in this life and the one to come, practicing his presence is an essential habit we all need to acquire. This book is a wonderful place to start.”—Paul David Tripp, bestselling author of New Morning Mercies

“I started by reading this like a normal book, but that wasn’t possible. Not only did I need to slow down and absorb Brother Lawrence’s timeless truths with Joni’s beautiful exhortations and meditations; I wanted to.”—Dallas Jenkins, creator of The ChosenA diving accident in 1967 left Joni Eareckson Tada a quadriplegic in a wheelchair at age seventeen. After two years of rehabilitation, she emerged with new skills and fresh determination to help others in similar situations. In 1979, she founded Joni and Friends, an organization committed to bringing the Gospel and practical resources to people struggling with disability around the globe. An author of more than 45 books, radio host, and fine art painter, Joni lives in California with her husband, Ken.1

Wholly Devoted to Him

I know that for the right practice of the presence of God, the heart must be empty of all other things; because God will possess the heart alone; and as He cannot possess it alone, without emptying it of all besides, so neither can He act there, and do in it what He pleases, unless it be left vacant to Him. —Brother Lawrence, page 42

I love practicing the presence of my Savior in the dark of night when I cannot sleep. Rather than contend with anxiety, I empty out my heart and pour the beauties of Jesus into it. I fill it with love words for him, each borrowed from the Bible: “Oh, Jesus, to me you are altogether lovely, the fairest of ten thousand, the bright and morning star, my Bridegroom for whom I long. You are the Rose of Sharon, the Lily of the Valley. ‘Your love is more delightful than wine. . . . Your name is like perfume poured out’ ” (Song of Songs 1:2–3). The heart cannot stay filled with muddled thoughts when its hollows are overflowing with the loveliness of Christ.

The next morning I feel refreshed for having lingered in Christ through the night. I wake up a slightly changed person—more settled and content. It’s a feeling that God is happy with me. But it’s not the smug feeling of being more holy or more righteous or sensing that I have impressed God for having focused so much on his Son; rather, I feel less holy. I am more aware of my sin, less convinced of my stainless reputation. The fact that I feel more like Paul, the chief of sinners, is an indication that my heart is now a set-apart dwelling where the Spirit of Jesus is pleased to reside. My beautiful Savior has revealed my ugliness of soul, and I fall before him, happy that he is what my heart needs. He’s my everything, my all in all.

Meditate: What competes in your heart today with your affection for Jesus?

2

My King

My King, full of mercy and goodness, very far from chastising me, embraces me with love, makes me eat at His table, serves me with His own hands, gives me the key of His treasures; He converses and delights Himself with me incessantly, in a thousand and a thousand ways, and treats me in all respects as His favourite. It is thus I consider myself from time to time in His holy presence. —Brother Lawrence, page 34

Our great King is eager to pour favor on his children. He does not wait for us to come to him; he seeks us out. He is actively pursuing us. One Bible version translates Psalm 23:6: “Indeed, goodness and mercy will pursue me all the days of my life” (nabre). God pursues us with goodness by giving us things we haven’t earned, such as warm friendships, food on the table, peace and safety in our streets, jobs to do, and encouraging words over cups of coffee. God pursues us with mercy by not giving us what we have earned, such as judgment. He is quick to forgive and overflowing with love, all because of Jesus. God never grows weary of pouring out mercy and goodness.

But his grace-filled, generous nature goes further: He is a King who enjoys bearing our burdens. He loves to work “for those who wait for him” (Isaiah 64:4, nlt). He delights in serving us. Not only here on earth but in glory. We think of heaven as a place where we will serve Jesus forever. While that is true, the complete picture is even more breathtaking. In Luke 12:37, Jesus says that “he will dress himself to serve and will have them recline at the table, and he himself will come and wait on them” (bsb). Oh, friend, for all of eternity we will praise a Savior who is full of goodness and mercy, a Savior who delights to serve us!

Meditate: What burdens might Jesus want to carry for you today?

3

A Miserable Sinner?

Give Him thanks, if you please, with me, for His great goodness towards me, which I can never sufficiently admire, for the many favours He has done to so miserable a sinner as I am. —Brother Lawrence, page 29

As a little girl dressed in my frilly Sunday best, I’d fold my hands, bow my head, and join our congregation in reciting from the Book of Common Prayer: “We acknowledge and bewail our manifold sins and wickedness, which we from time to time most grievously have committed, by thought, word, and deed, against thy divine Majesty.” Think it’s strange for a child to pray that way? Perhaps. But even then, I knew my little heart was wicked.

Wicked is a cutting word. We instinctively recoil from it, not willing to admit the evil within us. A person does not merely fudge the truth; he is a liar. He doesn’t merely cheat; he’s a thief. Without Christ, we are at the core, wicked. There exists a bentness in the human heart. But once we embrace Christ, 1 Corinthians 5:7 tells us to “get rid of the old yeast, so that you may be a new unleavened batch—as you really are.” In Christ, we really are at the core righteous. Yes, from time to time we will sin, as the prayer book says, but it is not in our nature as blood-bought believers to do so habitually. Continuously. Routinely. We have Holy Spirit–help that enables us to be who we truly are. What glorious hope! Today, slice out the serpent of sin that has coiled itself around your heart. Open your soul to the beauties of the gospel and the loveliness of Jesus who rescues you from your transgressions. Ask his Spirit to reinforce your bentness for good and then follow his every prompting to make your heart a worthy home for Jesus.

Meditate: First Corinthians 5:7 is a powerful declaration of your identity in Christ. Think hard on how this should change the way you live.

4

The Crown

Ever since that time I walk before God simply, in faith, with humility and with love; and I apply myself diligently to do nothing and think nothing which may displease Him. I hope that when I have done what I can, He will do with me what He pleases. —Brother Lawrence, page 32

At his coronation in 1804, Napoleon Bonaparte dressed himself in opulent robes, stood, and held the crown above his own head. Everyone else, including the pope, was a mere spectator as he lowered it onto his brow. Napoleon crowned himself emperor of France, demonstrating that he would not be controlled by any power other than himself.

Pride is like that. It crowns itself, ruling over everything wrong about us. But Jesus triumphs over our selfish kingdoms, lovingly insisting we humble ourselves before him. In this humility, we are invited to follow Christ’s own example. Jesus “made himself nothing” before his Father, and I must do the same (Philippians 2:7–9). Humility begins with seeing things as they are: God is great, and I am not. He is pure, and I am not. He is light, and the hollows of my heart are dark. He is wise, and I have miles to go. When I see things like this, I am on my way to humility. But humility will escape me if I make anything other than the Lord Jesus Christ my goal. If anyone’s crown matters, it’s the thorny, bloody one he wore. Yield control of your kingdom to him, and you will possess what no tyrant can claim: true humility.

Meditate: How in your life is humility related to surrender to Jesus?

5

Trust God at All Times

When I thought of nothing but to end my days in these troubles [doubts of my salvation and the presumption of faith] (which did not at all diminish the trust I had in God, and which served only to increase my faith), I found myself changed all at once; and my soul, which, till that time, was in trouble, felt a profound inward peace, as if she were in her centre and place of rest. —Brother Lawrence, page 32

When I was first injured, I was filled with so many doubts and fears of the future that I couldn’t imagine ever mustering enough trust in God. I figured only holier-than-thou saints on bended knee, with eyes closed and hands clasped, could trust God with something as awful as paralysis. Only plaster-of-paris saints on lofty pedestals could possibly trust him at all times, right?

Psalm 62:8 paints a different picture. Without a hint of exaggeration, the psalmist tells us to “trust in him at all times, O people; pour out your heart before him; God is a refuge for us” (esv). We can trust God at all times—not only when it’s convenient or when it makes sense or when it’s easy, but also when it’s counterintuitive to everything within us. Yes, it is possible to trust God in every situation. How? Well, through Jesus. He gives the command to trust him, then he provides you the power and the will to do it. The minute you “pour out your heart before him,” he animates and energizes your trust in him. The instant you recognize that “God is a refuge for us,” he is right there with you, assuring you that you don’t have to go it alone. To trust in the Lord at all times may sound daunting, but it is possible as you pour out your heart before him and make him your refuge.

When you learn to trust God at all times, you won’t be Mother Teresa, but you will develop faith that is readily available. Your faith will be easily within reach; you will effortlessly and gently take hold of it. Your faith will be there, ready to believe, trust, yield, and celebrate your trustworthy God.

Meditate: What barriers prevent you from fully trusting God?US

Additional information

Weight	12.8 oz
Dimensions	0.9700 × 5.3300 × 8.2700 in
Imprint	Multnomah
Format	General Trade
ISBN-13	09780593444795
ISBN-10	0593444795
Author	John D Sloan, Joni Eareckson Tada
Audience	General / adult
BISAC	REL012020, REL012120
Subjects	christian gifts for women, monk, worship, Prayers, Obedience, saint, religious books, devotionals, christian books, inspirational gifts, prayer, christian gifts for men, daily meditations, religious book, brother lawrence, practicing the presence of jesus, joni eareckson tada books, joni erickson tada, joni, devout, monastery, spiritual growth, theology, REL012020, devotional, religion, daily devotional, REL012120, meditation, god, Christian, faith, church, inspirational books, bible, bible study, meditations, jesus, Blessings, spiritual journey