最棒的基督徒生命39

操練神的同在

這週我們將繼續來研讀一些最棒的基督徒生命。

勞倫斯弟兄Brother Lawrence

勞倫斯弟兄於1614年出生在法國羅蘭地區，年輕的他因著貧窮不得不加入軍隊參與『30年宗教爭戰』。有一天當他看著一棵光禿禿的樹，他得著一個非凡轉變的經歷。就像那棵樹一樣，他覺得自己如同死了一般，卻抓住神對他有一個生命的盼望。當他沈思此時，神的信實與慈愛淹沒他的靈魂。他說此經歷給予他在自然領域超自然的清澈度。

軍中受傷後，他找到一個僕役的工作，後來加入巴黎迦密修道會（Discalced Carmelite Priory），他的宗教名字是『復活的勞倫斯』（Lawrence of the Resurrection）。他沒有成為神職人員所需要的教育，因此他一生中大多數時間是待在修道院的牆內，做著最普通的勞力活，在廚房裡工作或是修理涼鞋。

當時的宗教圈普遍流傳著一種信念，就是一個人必須受苦，在常規中工作才能討神喜悅，得著祂的恩典。這是最初迫使勞倫斯加入修道院的原因，他覺得他必須為他的失敗受苦。然而，許多時候他的『超自然清澈度』，引領他在所做的一切事上單單敬拜主，甚至在世俗的事務中。這引領他進入在神國度祂所應允我們充滿平安和喜樂的非凡生命。

勞倫斯自己承認他花了許多年艱辛與冗長乏味的委身，才得以持續經歷祂的同在。即便如此，他的堅持不懈得到報償，他逐漸開始經歷祂的同在，在祂的勞力工作與日常經歷中看見主的榮耀。由於他低階的工作，他需要做許多體力活，但據說他變得比君王更快樂。藉此方式，他使所有的勞力都顯得尊貴，將其視為神聖，就像是為主做的。

勞倫斯弟兄因著他深層的平安與喜樂而聞名，來自各地的人開始來看他，尋求屬靈指引。他透過對話與信件所傳達的智慧成為『與神同在』這本書的基礎，這是勞倫斯弟兄於1691年去世後由約瑟鮑渥神父（Father Joseph de Beaufort）彙編而成，在天主教與基督教大受歡迎，也深深影響像衛斯理與陶恕等人。

勞倫斯弟兄的一些智慧 

『工作的時間與禱告的時間對我而言並沒有不同，在廚房的吵鬧喧嘩聲中，在許多人同時要著不同東西時，我以最大的寧靜擁有神，彷彿我正在聖餐禮前屈膝。』

『信心是教會通往基督之完全的唯一途徑。』  

『持有盼望的人許多事都可能，持有信心的人甚至更有可能，然而持有愛的人是最有可能的。三樣都有的人凡事都可能。』

『我們需要在乾旱之時學習忠心，神在我們乾枯之時測試我們對祂的愛。我們應該好好利用那些時間來操練我們對主的決心與降服。』

 『我們的成聖不在乎我們做的是什麽工作，乃在乎我們是否爲神而工作，而不是為著自己。』

『主對我們工作規模大小的印象不及我們是否在愛中做成。』

『要確保我們行在神的旨意中，我們必須發展信、望、愛。』  

勞倫斯弟兄強調要持續留意神的同在，必須養成不斷與神交談的習慣。每當他需要時，他會祈求幫助，而他的經驗是神從來不會不提供協助。勞倫斯弟兄屬靈生命的根基在於那顯給他高舉基督的信心。

(摘自喬納 word for the week, Week39, 2015)

 

Practicing His Presence- The Greatest Christian Life, Part 39
Week 39, 2015
Rick Joyner

This week we will continue our study of some of the greatest Christian lives.

Brother Lawrence

Brother Lawrence was born Nicolas Herman in 1614 in the region of Lorraine in France. As a young man his poverty compelled him to join the army and fight in the Thirty Years’ War. One day while beholding a barren tree in winter, he had a remarkable conversion experience. Like the tree, he felt dead but held on to the hope that God had a life for him. As he pondered this, the knowledge of God’s faithfulness and love flooded his soul. He said that this experience gave him a supernatural clarity into natural, common sight.

After being injured while in the military, he took a job as a valet. He later joined the Discalced Carmelite Priory in Paris, taking the religious name, “Lawrence of the Resurrection.” Not having the education necessary to become a cleric, he spent most of his life within the walls of the priory doing the most common labor, working in the kitchen or repairing sandals.

In the religious circles of the time, a belief prevailed that one had to suffer and work through formulas to please God and find His grace. This is what originally compelled Lawrence to join the priory. He felt he must suffer for his failures. However, over time his “supernatural clarity” led him to simply worship the Lord in all that he did, even in the most mundane tasks. This led to one of the most remarkable lives of the peace and joy that we are promised in His kingdom.

By Lawrence’s own admission, it took years of difficult and tedious devotion for him to experience the Lord’s presence continually. Even so, his perseverance paid off. He gradually began to experience His presence and see the Lord’s glory in all of his labors and daily experiences. He was subjected to great drudgery because of his low position, but it was said that he became happier than a king. In this way he ennobled all labor, treating it as sacred when done as unto the Lord.

Brother Lawrence became so well known for his profound peace and joy that people from all stations in life started coming to him to seek spiritual guidance. The wisdom he communicated through these conversations and in letters became the basis for the book, The Practice of the Presence of God. Father Joseph de Beaufort compiled this work after Brother Lawrence died in 1691. It became popular among Catholics and Protestants alike, impacting such great lights as John Wesley and A.W. Tozer.

Some of Brother Lawrence’s Wisdom

     “The time of business does not differ with me from the time of prayer; and in the noise and clatter of my kitchen, while several persons are at the same time calling for different things, I possess God in as great tranquility as if I were upon my knees before the Blessed Sacrament.”

     “The church’s only road to the perfection of Christ is faith.”

     “Many things are possible for the person who has hope. Even more is possible for the person who has faith. Still more is possible for the person who has love. Nothing is impossible for the person who has all three.”

     “We need to learn to be faithful in dry times. It is during those dry spells that God tests our love for Him. We should take advantage of those times to practice our determination and our surrender to Him.”

     “Our sanctification does not depend as much on changing our activities as it does doing them for God rather than for ourselves.”

     “The Lord is not so impressed with the dimensions of our work as much as He is with the love with which it is done.”

     “To be sure that we are doing God’s will we must develop faith, hope and love.”

Brother Lawrence insisted that constantly being aware of God’s presence is necessary to form the habit of continually talking with Him. He asked for help every time he needed it, and it was his experience that God never failed to provide aid. The foundation of Brother Lawrence’s spiritual life was the faith that revealed to him the exalted position of Christ.