It is very common in prayer ministry to see hurting, wounded people that have closed their hearts to intimacy.  Sometimes this closure occurs at a time of deep, emotional trauma. Other times, there are small, but significant times when one is wounded repeatedly and little by little, the heart is closed off vowing, I will not be hurt that way again. The results of such decisions of the heart are that while we may self protect, we also self destruct!  When the heart is closed to intimacy and love, our Father and His love are locked out of our hearts and there is no way to ‘come home to Daddy.’  

            Often times we find those who have closed their hearts to their spouses because of the pain and wounding that has come about in the relationship. Remember, wounded people wound people. When we go through life wounded and in need of healing, we will inevitably wound others around us. The opposite is also true.  Healed people heal others around them. This is why we must pursue our healing journey with the Lord at all costs.  Marriages are failing today because hearts have been closed to intimacy.  We were created for intimacy with God and others. Relationship was His soul purpose for us at the time of creation. Think about Adam and Eve in the garden and the incredible, intimate relationship they had with their Father. They walked and talked with Him personally each day and night. They had sweet fellowship with Him. Until, that is, when sin came upon the scene and everything about intimacy with their Father changed.

            Another important thing that happens when we close our hearts to intimacy is that we find it more difficult to ‘come home to Father and His house.’ In prayer ministry we often ask the wounded one to be willing to forgive the pain that occurred in their earthly parents’ home and release that pain to the Lord. We then pray with them to leave the pain of their earthly parents’ home and come home to Father. It is there that we find true intimacy and love. It is there He wraps His loving arms around us and we find His embrace.  It is there that our love hunger is fully satisfied and we become legitimately His child. If we continue to grow in our legitimacy, we then become His sons and daughters. No more do we walk in an independent, orphan attitude. We become who He has designed from the beginning of time for us to be. Destiny becomes a living reality in our lives. We become life givers instead of life takers and earthly relationships take on new meaning.  Our goal should always be to receive and then give away Father’s love to the next person we meet, however we cannot give away what we do not have! How open to intimacy is your heart today?

            I bless you with an open heart ready and prepared for the experience of the Father’s love. I bless you to receive that gift of His love, regardless of how it comes packaged to you, and I bless you to give that love away to the next person you meet. It may be through a Father’s hug—His touch. It may be through a look—His eyes. It may be through a kind word spoken—His mouth. I bless your heart to give away His love and change your world. I bless you in the name above all other names…the name of Jesus. Amen.

Resting in His Lap,
Gerri