It's the Heart that Matters

"We need neither art nor science for going to God. All we need is a heart resolutely determined to apply itself to nothing but Him, for His sake, and to love Him only." -- Brother Lawrence

I'm not bashing art, and I'm not denigrating science.  Both are valuable.  However, both are valuable only insofar as they lead us to (or are inspired by) the truth that rests in God alone.  

Brother Lawrence is wrecking me.  Totally and completely.  I'm a wreck.  He inspires me, and yet he sets the bar so high I can barely see it.  I wonder openly if he could do what he did because he had no cable tv or internet access or ... anything ... but then I realize that every generation has had their distractions, and he just decided not to be distracted.

That's why the heart matters so much, and the externals don't matter at all.  That's why I've been watching my heart attitudes these last few days, since Laura sent us on the experiment of "practicing the presence of God."  I've not had as much trouble going through the morning routine.  That has usually involved prayer and contemplation.  It's the rest of the day I need to grow more intentional about grabbing.

The one thing that strikes me is that though I've been spending my morning routine talking to God, I haven't spent many mornings talking with God.  I want to hear His words over me and hear His song over me and feel Him with my emotions.  I want to sense His presence.  That's where I am.