PRAYER: finding the heart's true home

To be spiritually fit to scale the Himalayas of the spirit, we need regular exercise in the hills and valleys of ordinary life.

True, whole prayer is nothing but love (St Augustine).

Today the heart of God is an open wound of love. He aches over our distance and preoccupation. He mourns that we do not draw near to Him. He longs for our presence.

He is inviting us to come home to where we belong - to come home to which we were created.

His arms stretched out wide to receive us. His heart is enlarged to take us in.

For too long we have been in a far country: a country of noise and hurry and crowds, a country of climb and push and shove, a country of frustration and fear and intimidation. And He welcomes us home: a home to serenity and peace and joy, a home to intimacy and acceptance and affirmation.

We do not need to be shy. He invites us into the living room of his heart, where we can put on old slippers and share freely. He invites us into the kitchen of his friendship, where chatter and butter mix in good fun. He invites us into the dining room of his strength where we can feast to our heart's delight. He invites into the study of his wisdom, where we can learn and grow and stretch... and ask all the questions we want. He invites us into the workshop of his creativity, where we can be co-workers with him, working together to determine the outcomes of events. He invites us into the bedroom of his rest, where new peace is found and where we can be naked and vulnerable and free. It is also the place of deepest intimacy, where we know and are known to the fullest.

The key to this home - the heart of God - is PRAYER.

Prayer is the delight of your heart.

If the key is prayer, the door is JESUS CHRIST. How good of God to provide us a way into his heart. Jesus is the means of entrance. We may enter through the door of God's grace and mercy in Jesus Christ.

LOVING is the syntax of prayer. To be effective PRAY -ERS, we need to be effective lovers.

Real Prayer comes not from gritting our teeth, but from falling in love.

PRAYER is a little like children coming to their parents. Parents are simply glad that they do come - mixed motives and all.