In the Sermon on the Mount, Jesus invited us to “knock,” promising that “it shall be opened unto you” (Matthew 7:7, 3 Nephi 14:7). I appreciate the assurance that God will answer me when I reach out to Him.
In the book of Revelation, John takes this promise one step further. Quoting the Savior, He says:
Behold, I stand at the door, and knock: if any man hear my voice, and open the door, I will come in to him, and will sup with him, and he with me.
Revelation 3:20
God is not only willing to answer when we initiate communication with Him. He is actively trying to initiate communication with us. If we are observant, we will see the many ways He is knocking on our door, but if we aren’t paying attention, we may miss them entirely.
Alma said:
The good shepherd doth call after you: and if you will hearken unto his voice he will bring you into his fold, and ye are his sheep.
Alma 5:60
I certainly have things that I intend to pray for today. There are specific blessings I seek for myself and for others. I have questions that I need help answering. And I need to be strengthened to face the challenges of the day.
But today, I want to focus more on listening than on asking. I want to assume that God is already speaking to me, and I want to hear what He is saying before I ask a question or make a request.
Elder Erich W. Kopischke said:
There is…a way to judge if our hearts are broken. A broken heart is a soft, an open, and a receptive heart. When I hear the Savior say, “Behold, I stand at the door, and knock,” I hear Him knocking at the door of my heart. If I open this door to Him, I am more responsive to the invitations of the Spirit, and I am more accepting of God’s will.
“Being Accepted of the Lord,” General Conference, May 2013
Today, I will hear His voice and open the door. I will strive to notice the different ways God is calling out to me and to be responsive to Him.