Bill here. Yesterday I was in my prayer time. I like morning secret place getaways with Jesus. Well this morning I had taken a drive to a little beach that was no more than 30 feet across, nestled between two piles of lava rocks. It's a sandy spot, and within a few minutes I had my chair, coffee, and journal all ready.
So there I was. No one else around to attract my attention, and I'm waiting. Just waiting. Clearing the mechanism. I ask, "How are We doing, Lord," and I hear, "Better now. You are quieter. Stilling your soul opens My door to you."
Stilling my soul, setting aside my feelings about everything, calming my thoughts, and letting go of intentions. This is a key element, a key principle, a kingdom key of relationship, of intimacy. But why? It has to do with availability.
When my mind is full and active, or my heart is joyful or sad, and when I am all about the next thing I want to do, my dance card is full. I'm not really open to receiving. There is a door that remains closed until we knock. Jesus teaches His followers to ask, seek, and knock.
I'm seeing a progression here as it relates to knowing God. At first we come asking, and this can be about asking anything we need. Then we grow to seeking Him, and this seeking can be in a variety of ways. Then we come to knocking. Here is where the door is. In knocking we are looking for nothing but Him. We just want the door between us to be opened, no other thought but Jesus, no other feeling but love, no other desire but to see Him, to hold Him, and to be held by Him. And that is all we have. If He speaks, awesome. If he just holds us, splendid. If he simply shines in His holiness, wonderful.
It has been said that the biggest hurdle to get over in life is oneself, and I mostly agree with this. The experience of being human in these temporal bodies can be overwhelming. In finding Jesus we come to the one who is worthy. In seeing Him, the power of self absorption is crucified and buried. As we wait upon Him our stone is rolled away, the door is opened, and we are set free.