God knows our needs even before we ask Him, but He requires us to ask, so that we know that He answers prayer.  He wants us to know that we are part of how prayer works. He invites us in, as my picture displays, because He desires relationship with us. What an incredible thought. He invites me in. I don't deserve to be invited into His presence, I can't earn being in His presence, It is only by the finished work on Calvary, the work of the cross where Jesus died, that I can enter in.

"He brought me to his banquet hall, and raised the banner of love over me."{Song of Solomon 2:4}  HCSB  This is what God declares over those who will walk with him. It says in the book of Revelation, that we will have a banquet with our God when the earth is no more, but this verse from the Song of Solomon was written with a different idea in mind. This is a reference to the King, loving the beloved. Jesus is the bridegroom, and we are the bride. The people of God are referred to in the Bible as His bride, and she is making herself ready.This is funny to me, since this picture is from a big banqueting hall.

The opened gates inspire our thoughts about being welcomed in. The Father welcomes home His children, through the gates of heaven. The floodgates of heaven can mean God is pouring down a blessing, or judgement. For our purposes today, we want to remember how awesome our God is, in blessing His children. He longs to bless us, but I know I can sometimes get in His way. I try to fix relationships because I want to have someone else do things my way, in my time frame.

God has promised that if we allow Him to work, He will do a good job. He has said He would leave the 99 sheep to go after one that is lost. He will hear our prayers. He will take us to be with Him, after our natural bodies cease. He will wipe away our tears, and He will hold them.  He will give us" the peace that passes all understanding."He will give us "Grace to help in our time of need." He has said that "He will never leave us or forsake us." I can't possibly list all of His attributes here, but you understand what I am saying , I think. He promises that if we trust in Him, that He will be our everything, and He means it. Give Him praise today, because He is worthy!