I Hear You Knock

                “Dear Lord, love of my life, I hear You knock on the door of my heart. I run to answer it, thrilled, afraid, excited, anxious, joyful yet slightly ashamed to let You in to the mess of my heart. Forgive the mess I created in here Lord. I am working on cleaning it up. Come here, sit in the seat of honor at the center of my soul and let me sit at Your feet like a child ready to listen to the most awesome words ever. Lord, my eyes well up with tears and my heart skips a beat as I look up into Your loving eyes. Your smile, Your face, it is so full of love, so warm, so gentle. Suddenly, my shame washes away as the shower of Your mercy gently rolls over me. The mess around us becomes unimportant and unnoticeable in the glowing light emanating from You and Your outstretched hands. I reach up and hold Your pure and holy hands and the warmth spreads from them through me, throughout my entire body. I am enveloped in the comforting heat of the Holy Spirit. Oh dear Lord, I thought I had so much to say but now it has all disappeared and all I can do is stare into Your intense eyes. I am listening. What do You wish to tell me?

                “You tell me, ‘My plan is perfect; trust in Me completely. My love for all of You is perfect; trust in Me. My timing is deliberate; trust in Me. My chosen people are just that, chosen by Me; trust in Me. Those who suffer, suffer for Me chosen by Me; trust in Me. Those I call from this earth, I have chosen for a perfect reason; trust in Me. Love will conquer all, there is no need for fear, doubt, anxiety; trust in Me. Love is more powerful than anything else. I created it, I command it, I choose to rule by it, I share it and it always comes from Me. All love in this world began from Me, like a tiny seed that grows into a tree and creates a dwelling place for all. I am love; trust in Me.’

                “Oh dear Lord, I feel Your love pulsing through us from Your hands to mine, throughout our bodies and throughout Your body the Church. Oh Lord, the heat is almost overwhelming, yet so comforting. The love is filling my entire soul and now emanating from me like the glow from a fire. I can’t contain it, it wants to flow back to You and to all Your creations, all the things You love I love too. Oh dear Lord, as I hold Your hands and am held captivated by Your holy gaze, I have lost all sense of time and space. I am floating in this moment suspended in this loving union.

                “I know You must go now to knock on other doors. Dear Lord, I pray for them that they will open the door as the knob lies only on their side. Oh dear Lord, speak to Your people and may they listen with open hearts, unencumbered by thoughts of not being ready to visit You or not ready to receive You as an honored guest in their souls. Oh dear Lord, I trust in You, I trust in You, I trust in You.”

Filled With the Desire to Pray

                “Dear Lord, my God, my heart beats faster and stronger just knowing You are here, knowing that You are listening. Why is it so hard for some people to pray to You? You love us more than we can imagine so what keeps people away from You? How can they not believe in Your love for them?

                “When you love someone, you can’t keep your eyes off them, whether it is a romantic love interest, your child, your mentor, or your parent; you just want to see them, see how they are doing, see what they are doing and see if they are happy. Their happiness brings you peace and joy. Your love for us is like that but amplified a million times more and yet there are those who don’t approach You in prayer. If we can write letters, send texts, emails or pick up the phone, why is it so difficult for some to pray?

                “Is it a lack of faith? People need the instant gratification of an immediate answer. When they don’t think they ‘hear’ an answer, they think You are not there or that You are not listening. Some think they are not worthy of Your love; that there is no way You the almighty powerful God, would be interested in insignificant them. That’s ridiculous. You created them to love and to be loved.

                “Others think they don’t need to talk to God; that prayer is only for the weak or simple minded. They think they are doing just fine on their own. That is also ridiculous. No one is that well off. Who wouldn’t benefit from a conversation with the one who made them and the one who loves them so much that they only want the very best for them? How silly it is when a teenager won’t talk to a parent about something that is bothering him/her. The parent knows the child very well and wants that child to be happy and successful in everything. The parent can see things on a larger scale and in the context of the whole picture. When the teenager refuses to talk to the parent and blindly tries to move ahead without any guidance, they often travel a rough road. Why not seek some help and companionship from one who is full of love for him/her?

                “Then there are those who are blind or indifferent. Who could be so numb to not care about You and Your great love? Who refuses a precious gift of eternal love indifferently? It makes no sense to me. Indifference infuses an entire person. Indifference muffles passion. Indifference stifles joy. Indifference blocks peace replacing it with numbness. Who prefers life without passion, joy and peace? Who prefers to just exist?

                “Oh Lord send the Holy Spirit to fly through the souls of all Your people like a strong wind to get their attention. Then may the Holy Spirit gently awaken the soul’s desire to seek You in prayer. Call Your people in a way that causes them to turn to You, longing to seek You in prayer. May they pour out their hearts to You. May they tell You all their hopes and desires the way lovers share their dreams with each other, the way a child tells his parent about his day, the way a young adult will sometimes truly ask for advice from a parent or mentor. Oh dear Lord, may their hearts beat stronger and faster knowing You are there, listening and loving them all. May they be filled with the desire to pray.”