Come and Eat

“Come and eat.” It’s possible to respond to words like this by only noticing our own appetite and the food on the table. We can “come and eat” without responding to the speaker’s tone of voice, atmosphere, or heart. But if we do that, we can miss a lot about ourselves as well as the speaker. The way “Come and eat” is said may be alerting us to thoughtfulness, or thoughtlessness, that needs or deserves attention. By tuning in to the heart of the speaker we can begin to hear the extraordinary in the ordinary—“Come and eat” may be expressing nurturing love that is as life-giving as it is routine!

The Bible is a collection of God’s words to us through prophets, priests, and poets. We choose whether or not to tune into the heart of God through these words. Some people choose not to enter the mind and heart of God. These people seem to think it’s better to just quote the words God said, or the Bible writer said, and then discuss those words. Apparently they don’t think it’s possible, right, or safe to approach and enter the mind and heart of God.

Others are downright relaxed about entering the heart of God. It’s as if some are trying to defend holiness by staying away; others seem quite sure holy ground was meant for picnics.

Somewhere between those two extremes, or perhaps by accepting them together as a necessary paradox, we can and must approach and enter the mind and heart of God. It’s not enough to multiply words about the Word. The Author engages us, and awaits our response. It’s unthinkable that God is a defenseless Child awaiting a parent’s profound love; a passionate Lover awaiting union with a spouse; a wise Parent awaiting a child’s adoration; a faithful Friend awaiting the joys of communication with a friend. But God is that Child, Lover, Parent, and Friend. And prayer is love’s response. Prayer is love’s response to Love. And we can hardly respond to Love if we don’t enter the heart of the Lover.

We can’t fully know the mind and heart of God. What we can know of the mind and heart of God is not transferable to others. But we can know that the mind and heart of God are laid bare for each of us, and we are drawn, allured, enticed, even begged to respond. Divine love made vulnerable—it’s unthinkable and true.

In order to approach and enter what God thinks and feels about prayer, we need to see again, hear again—to some degree know again in our minds and hearts—this vulnerability of Divine Love.

Another way to say it is: God started it. When kids are fighting and called to account, each is likely to point to the other and say, “She started it.” “He started it.” In the case of Divine Love, which includes wrestling if not fighting, there is no question. God started it. Being really clear about this is an important foundation for all that prayer is and all it can become for us.