The Loving Gaze
Prayer isn't a transaction to win favor with God; it's a transformation within ourselves. It's awakening an inner dialogue that God has always been a part of. This is why Paul spoke of praying "always." Prayer isn't about changing God's mind; it's about letting God change our perspective on reality, the reality we often avoid or distort.
When we shift our mindset, heaven takes care of itself—it starts right now. If we rely only on verbose prayers, we stay stuck in our rational minds, missing deep consciousness shifts. Prayer is sitting in silence until it speaks for us, choosing gratitude until it fills us, and praising God until we become an act of praise.
Jesus urged his disciples to "Be awake. Be alert." He wasn't threatening; he was pointing to Christ's eternal presence, always arriving. God's judgment is always about redemption; Christ is always here, always present. It's us who drift into slumber.
Stay ready. Be present to God in the ordinary, the interruptions of life. Fully embracing the soul of all things allows you to say, "This is good. This is enough." You're now in the Loving Gaze that unites all in universal attraction and appreciation. We're practicing for heaven, but why wait? Enjoy the Divine Flow in every moment, in everyone.



(adopted from: Josh Radnor, Saluting the Divinity in You; Richard Rohr, Just This)