Annunciation

Sometimes, Lord,
my heart aches for a message,
looks for an angel,
listens for, needs, a word from you...

My heart waits to hear
what you might speak to me,
to my life, to my worries, to my fears...

My heart waits for to hear you say,
"Do not be afraid... I am with you...
I am always with you... I will never leave you...
I am beside you, before you and behind you,
above and below and within you..."

My heart strains to hear you say,
"You have found favor with me...
I care for you... I care about you...
I watch for you... I watch out for you...
You have a place in my heart,
a place I keep only for you
and I look for you in my heart..."

Speak to my heart, Lord,
send an angel, a message, a word...
Speak to me as you spoke to Mary:
when I am not expecting you...
when I am confused and do not understand...
when I am afraid of what tomorrow may bring...

Fill my heart with your grace
that I might see every angel you send my way,
that I might hear every word you speak to me,
that I might ponder whatever might be
the message of love you offer...

Amen.

(from the Concord Pastor Comments blog; the illustration is Annunciation by Henry Ossawa Tanner)