Concern for lack of privacy? No, Sally wants it that way. Any time of the day 24/7 friends and family, adults and (especially) children, and resident staff are welcome to walk in. It is as if there is a Welcome Mat at her door. My friend loves people and people love her.
I always knock on Sally's door jamb anyway to alert her of my presence. She is settled in her recliner by the window. Since she can't walk anymore and can no longer navigate her electric-powered wheelchair (which she called her "Harley") or leave the residence, she prays for God to send people to walk through her door. So she gives the order to leave her door open.
Sally makes herself available to the Lord as a candle shining from a lampstand. You might think that you have come to encourage her, but find that she has encouraged you. It may be more common for those in advanced years to isolate themselves, to withdraw from the public eye. Not so my friend Sally.
In a similar way, I try to make myself available to
the Lord each morning. I want to leave my door
open too. I pray, “Lord, here I am. I come to do Your will. Bring
into my life through my openness anyone whom You will—in person, by phone call, email,
texting, or by letter or thought, reminder, or impression to pray. I will not regard these as interruptions but as Your appointments. Open
my ears to listen to the whisper of the Holy Spirit. 'Speak, Lord,
Your servant is listening.' Open my eyes so that I won't miss any
opportunity that You bring to me either to encourage or help someone or to
receive encouragement and instruction from them."
Why should I repeat this every
morning, since God already knows my heart? I think He still wants to
hear me say it with my lips or with the words of my mind. I
need to reaffirm my availability as a
reminder to myself. I drift too easily, become busy or preoccupied, and
might miss the less obvious signals the Lord is sending me through the people who come through my
open door.
No comments:
Post a Comment