ihop.

Something rare happened yesterday morning.  We had time off.  Unplanned, unscheduled time off.
From 8:35am until 12:40pm, we had no responsibilities.
No chores.
No class.
No errands.
Nothing.

So we jumped in the car and left.  Destination?  IHOP.  Of the prayer variety, not pancakes.  I had never been before, and didn't really know what to expect, but, by golly, I was overwhelmed.

The place radiated joy and love.  Each person wore on their face a look that said "I am in awe of who God is."  The International House of Prayer was phenomenal.  As we entered the Prayer Room, I saw dozens of people from all walks of life spending time with God in their own ways.  Some sat, some stood; some walked, some knelt; many read, many wrote; some were silent and some cried out - all were in the presence of God.

The worship band at the front didn't have a specific song they sang, instead choosing several passages of Scripture to sing spontaneously with a group of musicians who laid the groundwork for it.  They sang as the Spirit led.  Whatever verses they sang appeared on screens in the prayer room so that the people could meditate over those passages.

The people.  Well, it was a mix of people like I had never seen before.  Some were apparently wealthy, some were granola backpackers.  Young wanderers and retirees alike worshiped the Lord together.  Some came in on what seemed like lunch breaks from their desk jobs, while others wore construction gear.  And then there were the internationals - people from all over the world who traveled to Kansas City to hang out at IHOP.  Who would have thought that a place like this was such a destination point?  Yet it is.

24/7 There are people in the IHOP prayer room.  24/7 there is a group leading worship.  24/7.  I hear that it is just as full at 3am as it is at noon - what a wonderful way to spend a sleepless night, praising God, praying with Him!

Because this little visit wasn't planned, I didn't have my Bible, no journal, and no book.  This could have been  setback, but instead it forced me to sit and listen.  To clear my head and just listen for the Lord to speak.  One at a time, I put each frustration, each worry, every subject out of my head, so to be cleared - to just sit in the presence of God.

So often we come before Him with lists.  Lists of prayer requests, lists of wants, expectations, even lists of praises - but lists nonetheless.  An agenda.  How often do we come before God without really coming before Him at all, but attacking Him with a barrage of questions?  And then we finish asking our questions and walk away before allowing God to work in your heart to answer them, to teach you, to guide your thoughts?

To just sit, hands open - empty before Him.

It reminds me of the new Switchfoot song, Your Love is a Song.

They sing:
Oh, your love is a symphony
All around me
Running through me
Oh, your love is a melody
Underneath me
Running to me
All your love is a song

Let us just sit and be.  In the presence of God, allow this love to overwhelm you - to feel the presence of God.  With eyes wide open.  And minds wide open.