A Reflection based on Luke 10: 38-42: “Where else would you find her?”
Let me share a story with you. Nicolas Herman had a poor start in life so, like many young men of the time, he joined the army, went to war, and was promptly wounded and taken prisoner. By his own admission he was not a natural soldier. But he did experience a spiritual awakening. One winter he saw a tree stripped of its leaves. He considered that soon afterwards, these leaves would reappear, followed by flowers and fruit. This gave him “a lofty awareness of the providence and power of God that never left him.”
Neither was he a particularly successful footman and during his years of service Nicolas, by then quite disabled, constantly dropped and broke things much to his and his employer’s annoyance!
God was calling Nicolas to a new life and so he joined an austere order of monks – the “Barefooted Carmelites”. Nicolas loved his new life and he devoted himself to one thing – to finding joy in doing the little things for God. He was an accomplished cobbler. He had a great dislike for kitchen duties, especially the endless peeling, but he was determined to learn to live his life (moment-by-moment) in conscious contact with the Lord, whatever menial task he was assigned to. You may recognise Nicolas Herman as Brother Lawrence (of The Resurrection) who spent 40 years Practicing the Presence of God…and discovering a simple. but profound way of loving his Lord:
“We search and trouble ourselves to learn how to love God. Yet it is so simple. It is not necessary to do great things for God. We can do little things for Him. Do you have small, menial tasks to do? Are they sometimes unpleasant? Do them for love of God, as a personal service to Him. As you work, look to God. Talk to Him. Ask for His help. Then when you complete the task, thank God for the grace to work. Don’t tire of doing little things out of love for Him. The littleness of the work does not lessen the value of the offering, for God regards not the greatness of the work, but the love that prompts it…” (© 2009 Ken Bible, c/o LNWhymns.com)
I remember many years ago when Susan and I lived in Margate there was a certain road-sweeper (you don’t see too many of them these days) who gave such care and attention to his work that I was often transfixed by him. Now, you might say that I had better things to do with my time than stare out of the window, but no; he was most definitely an unsung hero. I would watch him with his push-cart and big broom, sweeping Harold Road top to bottom, all 250 yards of it, one side then the other.
He seemed slow but he wasn’t, not really. He was meticulous and skilful and strong in both hands as he wielded his shovel with a surgeon’s precision, not missing a thing! The man just went about his business pretty much unnoticed. But I noticed him and one day I simply had to talk to him and I said that he was the best road-sweeper I had ever seen. A humble man, he smiled and graciously accepted my compliment. We got into a conversation and I learned that he attended a local church and that he loved his work and his community and that when he was tired and sore he kept on working and would constantly remind himself that this work he did he also did for the Lord. What I haven’t told you is that this man whose name I have forgotten had a very pronounced limp. He lived with constant pain…
23 Whatever you do, work at it with all your heart, as working for the Lord, not for human masters, 24 since you know that you will receive an inheritance from the Lord as a reward. It is the Lord Christ you are serving. 25 Anyone who does wrong will be repaid for their wrongs, and there is no favouritism.
By the end of those years, Brother Lawrence spoke of the one thing that he felt was most needed: “It is our one business…to worship Him and love Him, without thinking of anything else…” In short he sat, like Mary of Bethany, at Jesus’ feet. (Wow!)
That sounds like a recipe for a life (impossible) of quiet contemplation, a kind of navel-gazing which describes the sort of person who is “so spiritually-minded that they can be of no earthly-good!” Not so with Brother Lawrence…he worshipped the Lord in the kitchen, on the shop-floor, making shoes; and he put his thoughts and prayers down on paper. He gave comfort and counsel to any who were in need. He still does. He was as busy and productive as anyone else, probably more so. He’s proof-positive that men can multi-task after all!
“It is our one business…to worship Him and love Him, without thinking of anything else…”
I wonder if this is (at least in part) what Jesus meant when he said to Martha, “…you are anxious and troubled by many things, but one thing is necessary. Mary has chosen the good portion, which will not be taken away from her.”
We know the story of Martha and Mary well – perhaps too well. But one thing is for sure – Jesus loves them both. Scripture would seem to indicate that Mary is always at Jesus’ feet! (John 11:32; 12:3) I would like to think I was more of a Mary than a Martha. But I know that’s not true. A lot of the time I am distracted too. Busy. Resentful. I sweat the small stuff. I major on the minors. I stick my nose in to other people’s business and I judge them, harshly sometimes, for the way they live or serve. Don’t we all?! Jesus’ rebuke of Martha is a word to us all, I think…
Luke Chapter 10 is about 3 things: 1. bringing the Gospel message; 2. Loving God and being merciful to our neighbour & 3. Sitting at the feet of Jesus, listening to what God has to say on the subject. If we only had the story of the Good Samaritan we might think that loving God was only about doing things for God. The truth is if we want to do number1 and number 2 very well (effectively), then we should spend some (perhaps more) of our precious time doing number 3…communing, relating, listening to Jesus. The one thing that was necessary…the one thing that was preferable…a priority…was the Word of God and the Presence of God (alright, that’s two things!)…the one thing that would never be taken away…
Brother Lawrence found a wonderful way of balancing a life of devotion and service…perhaps of being the best of Martha and the best of Mary…the best of Lawrence?
Lawrence reminds us… whatever we do the Lord is always near…that it is we who get distracted…not the Lord!
Ever Standing in Your Presence, Ever standing in Your presence,
Ever living face to face, Ever sharing, ever listening,
Ever open to Your grace. Ever weak and ever needy,
Ever hungry for Your best, Ever clinging to Your mercy,
Ever empty, ever blessed.
It’s so good to just be near You, Free to bring You each request,
Simply trusting You as Father, Free to serve and free to rest.
by Ken Bible, © 1993 LNWhymns.com
I want to end with a question. What one, single thing…if you did this superbly and consistently well…would make a massive difference to your walk with the Lord?
MFR 1/10/20
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Prayer while holding the globe: “For a world in need and a coming together in this time of crisis…”
“It’s not just here, Lord our Father; it’s everywhere…this horrible virus…seemingly affecting everyone and everything…it’s spread across the globe, one moment here, another there…nowhere apparently beyond its reach…so many people in so many countries living now under its shadow…wondering what the future holds for themselves and their loved ones…(Pause to add your prayers)
Lord, help us to keep that bigger picture in mind…Keep us from turning inwards, in narrow self-pity and concern. Help us today to remember the needs of those who are far-afield, as well as those close to home…to think of others…to pray for others as though we could embrace the world…and do what we can to help others, whether near or far…(Pause to add your prayers)
So much divides us, Lord…person-from-person…nation-from-nation. Denying our common humanity…
Lord, if nothing else…may this crisis teach us ONE THING…despite the many things that divide us, help us to see the world and one another through your eyes…if just for a moment…to add something good to the goodness of the world… (Pause to add your prayers)
May we be alive to your Presence…Your Spirit…through the remainder of this day