God Really Is Listening
Not long ago, as I was saying my prayers one night, I was startled, surprised and interrupted. I had prayed for everyone and everything on my “list” and I was concluding with the Lord’s Prayer. I began as I have so many times over the span of my life, “Our Father who art in heaven hallowed be thy name. Thy kingdom come thy will be done . . .” And suddenly I stopped, for the words that came out of my mouth were not the words I have prayed thousands of thousands of times over the past 70 plus years. I heard myself praying, “Thy kingdom come thy will be done . . .in me.”
After a full minute of pause and reflection, I continued, but again in a different vein. Instead of in the plural form, us/we/our, I was praying in first person singular. “Give me this day my daily bread, forgive me my trespasses as I forgive those who trespass against me.” This time, there was an even longer pause because I was on the “outs” with someone close to me and the person had expressed their sorrow and asked for forgiveness. I am embarrassed to say that I had been in such a snit that I had responded that I was not ready to let the offense go. . . just yet.
I share this story of my prayer time with you in the conviction that God does indeed hear our prayers and that, at times, prayer is a two-way street, a dialogue. While I did not hear the audible voice of God speaking to me, I am certain that I heard God speaking to me very clearly in my heart. I heard Him saying that He wanted His will done in me and that my unforgiving spirit was an impediment in my life at that moment. In retrospect, even though I found myself being held accountable, the entire experience was not one of rebuke or chastisement, but a moment grace and love.
So, if you are praying and you hear feedback in your heart, perhaps God is speaking a word of grace and love to you.
