by A.W. Tozer
One of the purest souls ever to live on this fallen planet was Nicholas Herman, that simplehearted Christian, known throughout the world as Brother Lawrence.
He wrote very little, but what he wrote has seemed to several generations of Christians to be so rare and so beautiful as to deserve a place near the top among the world's great books of devotion. So well is he established in the affection of spiritual souls of all denominations and every shade of Christian thought that it is hardly too much to say that the expressions of an adverse opinion of Brother Lawrence may be taken as evidence that the critic is either a victim of his own prejudices, or is too engrossed with this world even to understand the spirit of a man as heavenly-minded as he.
Early in his life Brother Lawrence found Christ as his own Saviour and Lord and entered into what he called "the unspeakable riches of God and of Jesus Christ." He was a common cook but he learned to turn the modest service into a kind of worship. "We can do little things for God," he said. "I turn the cake that is frying on the pan for love of Him, and that done, if there is nothing else to call me, I prostrate myself in worship before Him who has given me grace to work. Afterwards I rise happier than a king."
He spent his long life walking in the presence of His Lord, and when he came to die there was no need for any particular change in his occupation. At the last hour someone asked him what was going on in his thoughts as death approached. He replied simply: "I am doing what I shall do through all eternity-blessing God, praising God, adoring God, giving Him the love of my whole heart. It is our one business, my brethren, to worship Him and love Him without thought of anything else."
The writings of Brother Lawrence are the ultimate in simplicity. His teachings knew very little variety, and consisted mostly of a few great ideas woven like costly threads to make a pattern of great beauty.
( Article taken from The Price of Neglect, Chapter 6 )
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