Lately I feel drawn to blank pages and dark empty spaces…places where I can breathe, and hear, and sense, without much noise. And I know God indwells all things, and I have often sensed Jesus presence in the midst of ministry and service with little sleep, but right now it is the whisper that echoes with more strength within me (1 Kings 19:12), and I thirst for it.
What is it about gentleness? What is it about a quiet word, or presence that does not impose and yet opens doors, simple everyday ones, or others which have been under lock and key for years? Because that’s often how I experience God in prayer – truthful, but in a way that seems to reveal what I never realized I knew… or could have known as it simply makes sense.
I have spent a week meandering in and around these thoughts… and two things have emerged with quite a lot of strength:
- Firstly, that there is an ocean of powerful attentiveness in God’s love for us, with all the depth, width, height and power of that immensity. God is more attentive than any human person could be to every small desire of our hearts. I prayed with strength last week for a situation that worried me. And yesterday I sensed Him say: “You asked. I heard you”, as if surprised that I was relieved it had been resolved. Did I doubt it? Did I think it was too small, or insignificant for God to notice? But there is no ‘too small’, when you love. Every detail, everything that someone you care for wants becomes nearly like a demand, if at all possible to make happen. Is God going to love any less attentively? No movement of our hearts goes unnoticed.
- The second’s an intuition: could we be ‘gatekeepers’ of God’s voice for others? When I see a person who can pray, who can taste God’s presence, I find it thrilling. Is this why? Is that what the prophet part of our Baptismal identity means? People have a need for that inner door to God’s presence to be opened, unlocked. And perhaps part of the gift of prayer is to be called to mediate, to echo, to be a human ‘voice that cries’ or speaks, or at least evokes the whisper of God’s passionate love for us waits, patiently, to say. Scary but wonderful, if true… blessed are the gentle.
Cara Maeve,
sono da poco rientrato dalla chiesetta della mia parrocchia, ivi mi sono recato per partecipare umilmente alla celebrazione del Santo Natale: “E la parola e’ diventata carne e ha abitato per un tempo fra noi, piena di grazia e di verita’;” Giovanni 1:14.
Ho appena letto il tuo pensiero… e mi viene spontaneo di pensare che tu sei l’ impersonificazione piu’ semplice della gentlness! La tua gentilezza ha arricchito la mia povera vita, grazie! Per favore accetta i miei sinceri e cordiali ringraziamenti! Grazie per la dedica sul CD: “Break the crystal frame,con gli auguri d’ ispirazione, pace e luce con cui mi hai aiutato ad avere piu’ fede verso il prossimo. L’ ispirazione, la pace e luce sono stati e sono quei doni, di cui ho avuto in quest’ ultimi anni, di cui ho tanto bisogno proprio oggi, grazie; grazie per i tuoi canti! Ho comprato anche l’ album: “nel frattempo”, ogni qualvolta li ascolto, sul mio volto invecchiato dalla tristezza, scendono fiumi di lacrime, ma permittimi di rassicurarti, esse sono lacrime di gioia, grazie !
Possano le benedizioni del Bambinello Gesu’ benedirti e possano irradiare il tuo lavoro!
Ricambio l’ abbraccio spontaneo, fraterno, amorevole, pieno dell’ amore di Gesu’, caloroso al punto di scongelamento del mio cuore infreddolito.
Ti auguro un Buon & Santo Natale,
Domenico
Grazie mille, Domenico! Sono esperienze e parole come le tue che fanno “worthwhile” tutto il lavoro indietro della mia music. Un forte abbraccio e auguri di un santo Natale, pieno di pace. Maeve
This post is very powerful. So much of it resonates with me, but I find the last paragraph really interesting. People so need to know, and hear and feel God’s love for them….His very heart.
We can only share that very heart of His when we have experienced Him coming to us to heal our hurts, our pain and our joys. We are told to speak “as if we speak the very words of God” but we need to share His words to us because people need to hear Him.
Quite recently I went to God in prayer because something had really hurt me in my heart and as I prayed I felt God say:
“I will kiss your hurt. I will hold your face in my hands, look into your eyes and call you beloved. It is I who hold you, forever.
Your tears, tear at My heart…I treasure them in my bottle. I am the God who sees you. Do not fear. My love covers you. Your life is precious to Me I gave nations for you. I gave my life for you, my precious child. Do not fear.”
May you truly be a Gatekeeper of God’s word for others. May your new year be blessed.
Thank you Trish – moving response. Hope you are well. Maeve