Someplace We Never Dreamed of Going

‘Ask, and it will be given to you; search, and you will find; knock, and the door will be opened for you. For everyone who asks receives, and everyone who searches finds, and for everyone who knocks, the door will be opened.

(Matthew 7:7-12)

Answered Prayer 

I came to your door

with soup and bread.

I didn’t know you

but you were a neighbor

in pain: and a little soup and bread,

I reasoned, never hurt anyone.

 

I shouldn’t reason.

I appeared the day

your divorce was final:

a woman, flushed with cooking

and talk, and you watched,

fascinated,

coiled like a spring.

 

You seemed so brave and lonely

I wanted to comfort you like a child.

I couldn’t of course.

You wanted to ask me too far in.

 

It was then I knew

it had to be like prayer.

We can’t ask

for what we know we want:

we have to ask to be led

someplace we never dreamed of going,

a place we don’t want to be.

 

We’ll find ourselves there

one morning,

opened like leaves,

and it will be all right.

(Kathleen Norris)

Prayer:

O God of our hearts, you open our spirits as green leaves to the invitation of your Spirit. Shower us again with your grace. Remind us of the ways you are caring for us. Show us who is knocking on our door, ready to surprise us with an unexpected answer to a prayer. Amen.