Prayer for the Restless

My Lord, you know the pain and the torment of every heart, have mercy on those who seek you without knowing it and long for you without realizing.

Stretch out your hand and invite them to your dinner. Show them how close you are to them and how easily they can find you if they open their hearts.

Fill them with your peace and love. Comfort their troubled souls and heal their hidden wounds.

Show them how to love you, so that they can find the strength to love themselves and their neighbours.

Don't let any of them be lost, but go looking for them like the good shepherd and bring them home.

Carry them in your arms, comfort them and make them feel your blessings every day.

Bring them from darkness to light, from the cold endless searches to the warm certainty of hope-giving faith.

AMEN

Prayer for Love

God, fill us with your love, so that we can become love. Help us understand that love is the driving force of the universe and the essence of all creation. Help us understand that love is You. Touch our hearts with its warm comfort, make us stronger with its healing touch. Help us grasp the meaning of the words 'where there is love, there is no fear'. Let us live our lives in full understanding of this truth and make the best of it in our everyday experience and in our relationships with one another.

AMEN

 

THE STRANGER

“Behold, I stand at the door, and knock: if any man hear my voice, and open the door, I will come in to him, and will sup with him, and he with me.”

Revelation, 3:20, King James Version

He's standing in front of her door,
He climbed the stairs to the sixth floor 
The staircase is dark and cold
The air is stale; the silence old. 

Burned ends of smoky cigarettes 
Give him a mocking smile. 
"Give up", they say. "There is no way 
You can go there tonight.

She's doesn't need a sermon. 
And God is miles away.
She's got a bad hangover
She doesn't want to pray."

He sighs and pushes on again
His tired feet are sore. 
"She is my child. She needs a friend.
I will knock at her door." 

The shadows casting off the light
Start mocking at him too.  
"Just go away, get out of sight!
She hates the likes of you!"

He sighs and pushes on again,
His eyes conceal a tear. 
"She's still a child. I know her well. 
Her heart is full of fear."

A step or two and he is there
His hand knocks at the door. 
A gentle sound of steps he hears
His heart begins to soar. 

She's standing there on her tiptoes. 
She peeps through the spy hole.
Her eyes are red and in her head
She tries to gain control. 

"It's just another beggar", 
She says and walks away. 
Her eyes are red, she goes to bed
And pain kicks in again. 

He knocks and knocks, with stubborn hope, 
And love tears off his chest. 
"I've come to you to help you cope, 
To give you peace and rest."

His voice is covered by the noise
Of music playing loud.
A song she no longer enjoys
Enfolds her like a shroud. 

"There must be more to life than this, 
There's too much grey, where is the blue
That can turn life into a bliss
And make our dreams come true?"

He longs to hold her trembling hand. 
His fiery eyes are burning. 
"Your heart - that is the Holy Land,
And Love your secret yearning."

Then something moves her very core,
A flicker turns to flame, 
She runs like frantic to the door. 
"Who are you? What's your name?"

He smiles and joy shines in his eyes
"I'm Hope without an end. 
I'm Faith and Love that never dies. 
And you can call me 'Friend'."

Life-Changing Books:

"The Shack" by William P. Young

How can a man forgive his father who has abused him as a child? How can a father forgive the serial killer who murdered his 6-year-old little daughter? What revelation can turn the bitterness of a broken heart into joy and peace with the world, God and the self? What amazing experience can heal such painful wounds and replace the horror by faith and love? It must have been something great, something deep, with a huge impact, something coming from far beyond the boundaries of this world. You can find the answer in William P. Young's novel "The Shack", a book that combines a skillfully woven plot with such depth and wisdom that it can't but make its way to the most intimate part of the reader's soul. 

Unconventional and fascinating, captivating and profound, straightforward but subtle and delicate, this novel has all the attributes of a life-changing book. It deals with an old controversial topic and attempts to provide answers to the most burning questions of humanity. But it does it in such an original and charming way that, whether you are a convinced Christian or not, you feel you are taken one step forward on your spiritual journey. 

"The Shack" attempts to reveal the secret face of the true living God and the Holy Trinity. God is not what people have made of Him in their attempt to control their own destiny and protect their vulnerabilities. His image is built gradually around His own words "I am Who I am". Suddenly God appears to us surprising, fresh and new. Ideas we've been used to, things we've been taught to believe for such a long time lose their grip, and other things we've never thought of come into the equation to bring new light to the matter. 

Is God a male or a female? Is God really the stern master portrayed in the Old Testament? Does God have the sense of humour? Does God intervene in human existence? What is the truth about heaven and hell? Why does God allow evil? Can the Holy Spirit alter the dimensions of time and space? These are just a few of the questions that are dealt with in this novel. 

"The Shack" is much more than a best seller or an enjoyable read. It is a living book, one of those inspirational writings you remember and treasure for a long time. There is nothing rigid in it, nothing ostentatious or preaching-like. It teaches without sounding like a sermon. Nothing near. It is a book that opens hearts and minds by challenging the very prejudices that stand in the way of our relationship with God and with one another. 

Links: 

The Shack Book Website

Author's Blog