The absolute receptivity of the Christian to God’s grace is the only posture worth having. It is in being receptive to the indwelling love of the Trinity that both the whole interior and exterior climate of life is changed. Think about it! God…indwelling…Another making a dwelling in me…the tent. I have been purchased by adoption into His death and, as a free gift of the Father, been united to Him in life through the Holy Spirit. Brothers and sisters, this is a profound gift. Sometimes I am baffled at how I discount this great love so easily in exchange for another lesser thing. But all of this has to do with prayer. I am being profoundly moved lately in relation to prayer and receptivity.
True receptivity is the willingness of the creature to be in right relationship to the Creator. Far from passivity, true receptivity is hallowing our whole person unto God. He created us precisely as persons. All of our capabilities – imagination, will, memory, understanding, love, and movements of the deeper interior heart – to name a few, are part of our gift of self to the Lord. Again, this is particularly in relation to prayer. Prayer involves the whole person. As we unite all of the parts of ourselves, we become MOST ourselves in God. Most of the time, many these parts of us are disjointed or dis-integrated. But as they are brought into unison through God’s grace, we receive integration of the heart and mind, understanding and will. Being receptive in prayer means understanding that I cannot make this happen. What I can do is offer myself to Him in the great exchange of love. Prayer is the response to a relationship already initiated by Him whose knowledge of me is far more deep than my own. God doesn’t fall for prayer tactics. All prayer tips are intended to simply get us to the place where we actually realize that it is in allowing Him to love us as He desires that we are made truly alive and filled with joy. This may very well mean spending time in a simple gaze. In silence. In fact, I can promise you it will.
“And I, when I am lifted up from the earth, will draw all men to myself.” -John 12:32
