Learning to Walk with Jesus Every Minute

Last month I wrote about Dallas Willard and the profound influence he has had on my life and ministry. One of the things I’ve learned over the years is that when you discover a theologian or spiritual writer who consistently points you toward Christ, it is worth paying attention to the people who shaped them.

Dallas Willard did that for me.

In one of his lectures, Dallas briefly mentioned two names: Brother Lawrence and Frank Laubach. He didn’t spend much time explaining who they were. He simply suggested that if we were serious about following Christ, we should read them.

I took his advice.

Frank Laubach (1884–1970) was a missionary, educator, and author who spent many years serving in the Philippines. There he developed what became known as the “Each One Teach One” literacy method. The idea was beautifully simple. Every person who learned to read would then teach another person to read. That movement spread throughout the world and has helped an estimated sixty million people learn to read in their own language. His literacy materials have been translated into hundreds of languages, and he became the only American missionary ever honored on a United States postage stamp.

Those accomplishments alone would make him a remarkable Christian.

But that isn’t why I keep returning to his books.

What captured my heart was his longing to experience the presence of Christ every moment of every day.

In Letters by a Modern Mystic, Laubach describes what became a lifelong experiment. Instead of praying only during designated times each day, he wondered what it would be like to live in continual conversation with Jesus. He challenged himself to turn his thoughts toward Christ every few moments, recording both his successes and his failures in what he called “The Game with Minutes.”The goal was not perfection. The goal was friendship.

One of my favorite expressions in the book is the way Laubach speaks of Jesus as his “inseparable Chum.”

At first that language surprised me.

Then I realized what he was describing.

He wasn’t speaking casually about Jesus. He was describing what it means to fulfill Paul’s invitation to “pray without ceasing” (1 Thessalonians 5:17). Prayer had become less like making appointments with God and more like walking beside a dear friend who never leaves your side.

Several years ago I decided to try Laubach’s experiment for myself.

I certainly don’t do it perfectly. In fact, I fail at it every day. My mind wanders. Meetings begin. Sermons need writing. Life gets busy.

But I always come back.

Again and again I simply remember that Christ is here.

Sometimes my prayer is no more than, “Lord, thank You for being with me.”

Sometimes it is simply becoming aware that He has been present all along.

That simple practice has changed my prayer life more than almost anything else I have ever tried.

Laubach believed that what occupies our attention ultimately shapes our lives. I think he was right. The more often I consciously turn my thoughts toward Christ throughout the day, the more I discover His peace, His wisdom, and His quiet guidance in ordinary moments.

One of the themes you’ll continue to hear in my preaching is that following Jesus is not merely believing the right things about Him. It is learning to live with Him.

That is why I appreciate Frank Laubach so much.

He reminds me that the Christian life is not lived only on Sunday mornings or during our morning devotions. It is lived one minute at a time, one conversation at a time, one quiet turning of the heart toward Christ after another.

Perhaps this week you might try Laubach’s experiment.

Every hour, pause for just a few seconds.

Become aware that Jesus is already with you.

Offer Him a simple prayer.

Then continue your day together.

Grace and peace,

Fr. Ted