Love extravagantly

One of them, an expert in the law, tested him with this question: "Teacher, which is the greatest commandment in the Law?"

Jesus replied: " 'Love the Lord your God with all your heart and with all your soul and with all your mind.' This is the first and greatest commandment. And the second is like it: 'Love your neighbor as yourself.' All the Law and the Prophets hang on these two commandments." Matt 22: 33-40 (NIV)

I've been reflecting a lot on my statement about having run out of words. In the last few weeks it feels like I've spent more time with God and said less to him than in any comparable period in my life. Heading up the road at lunchtime for a stroll in the local cemetary I invite God to walk with me. The very thought brings a smile to my lips. I know he's with me even if I say nothing more beyond it. It seems that having nothing more to say is not such a bad place to be.

When I mentioned this to a friend at the weekend he referred me to a book by Brother Lawrence, The Practice of the Presence of God. This simple work expounds the principle of doing everything for the love of God. It's deceptively simple. Love of God becomes Brother Lawrence's motivation, and his reward, for all tasks easy or hard, spiritual or secular. And as he works out this simple creed all things become holy, and all fears dispelled.

The most excellent method he had found for going to God was that of doing our common business without any view of pleasing men but purely for the love of God.

Brother Lawrence felt it was a great delusion to think that the times of prayer ought to differ from other times. We are as strictly obliged to adhere to God by action in the time of action, as by prayer in its time. His own prayer was simply a sense of the presence of God, his soul being at that time aware of nothing other than Divine Love. When the appointed times of prayer were past, he found no difference, because he still continued with God, praising and thanking Him with all his might. Thus his life was a continual joy.