Authors-choice: Hope & Revival

One day, an American Red Indian left the reservation where he lived and went to visit a white friend who lived in a city. All the noise of the traffic and the helter-skelter of people running to and fro were very distracting for the Indian.
The two of them were walking down the street, and suddenly the Indian stopped, tapped his friend on the shoulder, and whispered, “Stand still for a moment. Do you hear what I hear?”
The White turned to his Indian friend, smiled, and said, “All I can hear are cars and horns and buses and traffic and the footsteps of many people. What do you hear?”
“There is a cricket somewhere nearby, and I hear it chirping.” The white stopped, listened very carefully, and then shook his
head and said, “I think you are kidding yourself. There are no crickets here. And even if there were, how could you possibly hear them with all the noise on this street? So you still think you can hear a cricket?”
“Yes, I do,” said the Indian. “There is one chirping near us right now.”
The Indian walked ahead a few steps and then stood beside the brick wall of a house. An ivy vine was climbing up the side of the dwelling. The Indian shoved aside a few of its leaves, and surely enough, there sat a cricket that was chirping loudly.
And now that White saw the cricket, he also became aware of the sounds it was making. As he walked along, the White said
to his Indian friend, “Naturally, you were better able to hear the cricket. You Indians can hear better than we can.”
The Indian smiled and then shook his head and said, “I don’t agree with you. Indians can’t hear any better than Whites can. Now watch, and I’ll show you.”
So he reached into his pocket and took out a 50-cent piece and tossed it onto the pavement. The metallic sound of the coin on the asphalt caused many a head to turn in the direction it came from. Then the Indian picked up the coin and put it back into his pocket, and the two men kept walking along.
Did you realize, my friend,” said the Indian, “that the ring of that 50-cent piece was no louder than the chirp of the cricket? And still, many White people heard it and turned around. On the other hand, I was the only one who heard the cricket. The reason for that is not that an Indian can hear better than the White man. No. The reason is that we always hear very well the things we are accustomed to paying attention to.”

Some people say there is no God because they cannot see or hear Him. Perhaps it is they who are blind and deaf. We know that those in love are preoccupied with thoughts of each other. Those who love God hear him and see him in prayer. Each moment of our lives should be a prayer. Begin with aspiration, and then contemplation will come. Don’t just speak; listen as well. Spend time with our Lord. Keep your prayer simple; talk with God like a lover talks with his beloved. Be familiar with God. The Holy Spirit gives us wisdom. Put yourself first in the presence of God for prayer, and give God time. Make sure your prayer is from the inside. Know not just the words but also the person. Listen to God