The other night before bed I remembered to pray.  I pray because that’s the sort of person I want to be. If you want to be a spiritual person, you gotta do spiritual things.  I admit, sometimes I forget who I want to be and go to sleep without a prayer. But I’m remembering more and more often. 

I pray sometimes and then I meditate sometimes. Prayer is what happens when I talk to God.  Meditation is when I listen. It isn’t easy to meditate. My mind wants to busy itself with all sorts of things other than quiet listening. But with practice, it can be done. 

So the other night, I said a prayer. My prayers are usually petitions, asking for something.  But not like physical things. Not for a new Cadillac, or not even for a healthy body. I usually ask to know God’s will, what I’m supposed to do, or asking for God’s will for somebody else. And I say prayers of thanksgiving, for things that came during the day, for ways in which I was successful in doing right.  Finally, I pray for forgiveness for ways In which I didn’t measure up, and for strength to do better next time.  

Then, when I had finished what I had to say, I told God, “Now I’m gonna listen.”  And I did. 

That’s when it happened.  I got a message. It came to me as a “still, small voice” like in 1 Kings 19: 12-13. It came all by itself, with no other cluttering thoughts. Nothing before, nothing after. Just a simple little message. “I love you.”