To me, prayer shouldn’t be separate from daily life, but should arise spontaneously from it, inspired by the ordinary sights, sounds and experiences that surround us. That was the raison d’être behind my book Heaven Touching Earth, as well as for the other books in the series, Touching Down, Touched By His Hand and Touching the Seasons. In the following, for example, a locked door leads to a prayer concerning how open we truly are to others.
The locked door
It wasn’t just closed,
it was locked and bolted –
an impenetrable barrier denying access,
ensuring intruders were kept at bay.
I like to think, Lord, that I’m different,
friendly, receptive and welcoming,
even to outsiders . . .
but I’m not.
All too often the shutters go up
when my view of the world is questioned –
my mind closed to customs and convictions
that threaten my own.
Forgive me,
and teach me,
instead of automatically locking the door,
to open it to others,
recognising that you speak through their words,
challenge through their insights
and meet me through their presence.
Amen.