08 - CHAPTER 6: HOW TO ENTER IN
HOW TO BE WHOLLY POSSESSED BY CHRIST AND THUS ENTER INTO AND ENJOY THE LIFE OF HOLINESS
If, then, we are unable to become holy by struggling against our sins; and if we cannot imitate Christ so as to become like Him, what hope is left us?
Hope? The writer soon discovered that there was not only no hope, but miserable failure in struggling and trying to "imitate." THE QUEST FOR GOD’S PRESENCE But there came a bright star on his spiritual horizon. It was hailed with all the joy of the wise men of old when they "saw the star." Surely this wondrous light would lead him into the very presence of the Lord-and there he would find victory? A little book was given him by a fellow-worker. It was called, THE PRACTICE OF THE PRESENCE OF GOD, by Brother Lawrence. It made a profound impression on his life.
Brother Lawrence found that books of devotion and religious "exercises" did not help him-but were rather hindrances to his spiritual life, so he set himself to work to secure at all times a sense of God’s presence. He endeavoured always to walk as in the presence of God. The result was a communion with God so close and uninterrupted that set times of prayer were not different from other times. "The time of business," said he, "does not with me differ 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 tranquillity as if I were on my knees at the Blessed Sacrament."
Now, is not that the spirit we want? "In Thy presence is fullness of joy," says the Psalmist (Psalms 16:11). But is this the Victorious Life? It certainly seemed so to Brother Lawrence. The booklet was inspiring. Never before had the writer experienced such a wonderful uplift of soul: such an inspiration for service. Not only the knowledge that "Thou, God, see me," but the habitual consciousness, "I am now in the very presence of God." The mind went back to Zacharias in the Temple and the words of the Archangel, "I am Gabriel, that stand in the presence of God" (Luke 1:19). Ah! That’s the thought. His feet may tread the temple courts, but he never forgets that he stands in the very presence of God. "Take heed," said the Lord Jesus Christ, "that ye despise not one of these little ones ... for their angels do always BEHOLD THE FACE OF MY FATHER which is in heaven." IN THE PRESENCE OF GOD
That, then, is the secret of the angels’ service-they are always conscious of being in the presence of God. Was it not so with Elijah? When he suddenly emerges from obscurity and springs into our view he cries, "As the Lord God of Israel liveth before Whom I STAND!" (1 Kings 17:1; 1 Kings 18:5). When he refused "to stand" in the presence of God, he begged that he might die; and God could not use him again till he "stood" once more in His presence. "Go forth," said God to the despondent prophet, "and STAND upon the mount before the Lord" (1 Kings 19:11). But he hid in the cave. Then came wind, and earthquake and fire-but all in vain. They did not drive him forth from his hiding-place from God. After the fire there was a sound of gentle stillness (ver.12, RV, marg.). Did the prophet fear that God had deserted him? Had God departed? Elijah wrapped his face in his mantle and went out and STOOD in the entering in of the cave. Once more he "stands" before God, and God could speak to him and use him.
Yes. All this is Scriptural. Oh, what resources of help and strength and comfort lie in this thought, "I... stand in the presence of God." When some unwelcome duty, some unpleasant task, or some "big thing" had to be faced the writer has again and again steadied himself, nerved himself by quietly repeating the words, "I... stand in the presence of God."
WHAT OUR LORD DESIRES
We thank God with unfeigned gratitude for this help by the way. But it is not the Victorious Life. A HEATHEN may use such help.
During the war a troopship was torpedoed in the Mediterranean and was fast sinking. A British soldier in great terror hurried hither and thither bewildered. A Hindu put his hand on the shoulder of the terrified man and pointing upward said, "Johnny" (their equivalent of Tommy); "God!" And this steadied the lad. Helpful; but not sufficient. It may be the source of strength for angels and for saints BEFORE THE DAY OF PENTECOST. But we need something more than this. And the Lord Jesus has promised us this "something more."
Is, then, the Way of the Presence right or wrong? Surely it is right as far as it goes. No one will ever know what help the writer found it. After all, we are "IN Christ" and to remind ourselves of His presence around us- near us-must be helpful. THE CHRIST DWELLING WITHIN But our Lord’s great desire is that we shall realise His presence within us. He tried to get His disciples to believe (and to know) that the Father was in Him and He in the Father (John 10:38). That He could do nothing of Himself-but that the Father was working in and through Him (John 5:19, John 5:30). And that in the same way we are sent by Him. That without Christ we can do nothing-but He would come and dwell IN us and work in and through us. Christ Jesus says this with the utmost plainness.
"As Thou have sent Me into the world," says our Lord in His prayer, "even so have I also sent them"-the apostles (John 17:18). "At that day," (Pentecost) said Christ, "Ye shall KNOW that I am in My Father, and ye in Me, and I IN YOU" (John 14:20). How can we get this Indwelling of Christ? And how know we have Him and thus "know Him and the power of His Resurrection"? How did Brother Lawrence get his blessing? How did he keep it? He just surrendered himself entirely to God. Without such surrender one cannot really practice the presence of God. "I know," said he, "that for the right practice of it, 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." This was his Prayer: "My God, here I am, all devoted to Thee. Lord, make me according to Thy heart." And what was the result? He had such a joy in God that for 30 years his soul was so elated and exultant that he had to repress his raptures so as to hinder them appearing outwardly.
"Were I a preacher," he used to say, "I should above all other things preach the practice of the presence of God: so necessary do I think it and so easy too." But one does not fully appropriate that life merely by accepting Christ as the Saviour from the guilt of sin. Many sincere Christians are living defeated lives. Their sinful passions-yes, and sinful desires-are not entirely gone. So there is failure, and such lives are little different from those of the worldlings around them.
There must be an entire surrender of self-a real yearning desire to be free from all known sin: a looking to Jesus Christ by faith to destroy sin in us; and a taking of Christ to be our whole life-literally our life.
"You will never have the Victorious Life," said Wilbur Chapman, "until Jesus Christ has all there is of you- never!" When He comes and takes entire possession of our being, He brings the Victorious Life, and we can say, "I live, and yet no longer I, but Christ liveth in me." When He possesses us wholly, then we shall be holy. Are we willing to take the step? Are we willing to put ourselves unreservedly into His hands? To do so is to secure Heaven on earth!