Always with us

     "The eternal God is your refuge, and underneath are the everlasting arms."  (Deut.33:27)
     Mary Cameron, a dear friend of our daughter, Mary Norris,  made Janie a beautiful little sign with this wonderful verse for her hospital room.  I just reread these words in my devotion this morning (while Janie happily slept!  Another gift we often forget to praise You for, Lord: sleep!).  Sure, I knew the words, and I love the sweet sign and the wonderful girl who made it for Janie, but it suddenly clicked for me in a new way this morning.  I am a mighty slow learner.
     Think about what that really means--we are constantly, continually surrounded and enveloped by the omnipotent, gracious, loving presence of the Creator and Sustainer of the universe.  No matter where we or a loved one might be, no matter what we are going through, no matter our feelings--even if we feel alone, we are not.  He is always undergirding us, sustaining us, with us, around us, and for us.  Thank You Lord!  With You, we are never without resources and strength and wisdom for whatever we are facing.
     And because He is present with us everywhere and all the time, in the words of Robert Morgan, we should "reflect His presence in our demeanor."  I have always loved the example of Brother Lawrence. But I just read the background of his story in a book by Robert Morgan. Brother Lawrence's actual name at birth was  Nicholas Herman, born in Lorraine, France in 1605.  As a teenager, he fought for the French army in the Thirty Years' War, was severely wounded, and walked with a limp the rest of his life.  Herman became a Christian when he was 18 years old, and when he was in his 50's decided to join a Carmelite monastery.
     As a monk, however, Brother Lawrence was assigned kitchen duty (personally, I would find this mighty challenging as well, since Martha Stewart, I'm definitely not).  He found this work demeaning and even insulting, so that for a number of years he dutifully, but quite grudgingly, performed his daily monotonous kitchen duties.
     But one day everything changed for Herman, for he began to realize what it meant that God was with him all the time.   "He began frequently reminding himself of how constantly God's presence hovered over him.  Even the most menial tasks, Nicholas realized, if undertaken for God's glory are holy, and wherever the Christian stands--even in a hot, thankless kitchen--is holy ground, for the Lord is there too." (Robert Morgan)
     Brother Lawrence's countenance altered, and others began asking him what had brought about this remarkable and lasting change.  Many sought him out to discover the secret of his joy, and the abbott eventually recorded his conversations with Brother Lawrence--it is those conversations that are the basis of  the wonderful little book:  The Practice of the Presence of God.
      I read it a number of years ago, as a much younger mom, and it truly transformed the way I looked at all the myriad routine, mundane tasks in my day from changing diapers to folding laundry to trying to cook meals.  Every moment of every day could be an opportunity to recall that God is right there with us and that we can glorify Him in any and everything we do--whether peeling a potato or driving a carpool or assisting with homework ... or reading to an unconscious child or helping your child to the bathroom in the middle of the night in a dark rehab room.   A home, a hospital room, or a work cubicle can all be sanctuaries and opportunities to love and glorify God with whatever He has given you to do. All can be places where we walk with Him and praise Him for being ever and always with us and for us... and those we love.
     Sometimes we just need the reminder.  "The Lord is near.  Do not be anxious for anything." (Phil.4:5-6)  "Fear not, for I am with you." (Is.41:10)   "I will never leave you or forsake you." (Heb.13:5)  Nothing, no one, no sickness, no accident, no addiction, no fear, no failure, no power... nothing nothing nothing can separate us from the love and presence and power of our Lord.  (Rom.8:35-39)
     "If God be for us, who can be against us?!"
     So today, might we rejoice in our God who will never fail us, never forget us, never leave us... and never stop loving us, helping us, redeeming us, and restoring us.
      He is the God who moves away the immovable stones.  To God, and God alone, be the glory.