Sunday, June 10, 2007

Sleepless night

Sleep and I are good friends. Like most everyone else, we wish we saw more of each other, but every time we get an opportunity we certainly take it.

That's why I was surprised when I laid down to sleep and found myself wide awake. Not even a hint of drowsiness.

So I spent a good hour trying to talk myself into sleeping, then gave up and got up.

I watched an infomercial on a book with "more than 5,000 health secrets that the professionals don't want you to hear" then went to the computer for awhile and took care of some e-mails, then I shut the computer off and grabbed a book to read, watched a Cosby Show rerun, then a movie. I pulled out a sponge and scrubbed a bathtub I inherited with the house that still doesn't come clean (the bathtub, not the house), and then installed a toilet tissue holder, then went back to the tv and watched an I Love Lucy rerun.

It was now a little after 4am and I was still wide awake.

Finally, and with some frustration, I said, "Ok God, why can't I sleep?"
As clear as bell He responded, "Because you haven't prayed yet."
What?
"What was I suppose to pray for?"
"Lisa"

After a brief grumble that He could have told me this 6 hours ago, I began praying for Lisa. It wasn't even a full minute into it when I yawned. Then I prayed for Andrea (#2 now on our watch list) yawning even more. Then I prayed for my parents, then my pastor and his wife, and because of their daughter who is currently serving in our military I then ended up praying for our troops.

I wasn't even finished when I could hardly stay awake.



This post has a lot of details that probably don't interest anyone but me. But it has a moral to it that I wanted to post. So here it is:

I didn't have this relationship with Christ last year. My relationship with Him has gotten stronger, deeper, and more trusting. He's talking to me. Do you really get that? GOD is talking to ME. I'll be the first to tell you, I'm not anything special. But He's talking to me. I told Him I wanted more, I begged for it -

And I'm getting it.


Do you have that? Do your conversations feel one-sided and stilted? Do you constantly come in with a need, then wander off to do your own thing still feeling somewhat aloof from the God who created you? Do you wonder at those talking about Jesus getting sweeter every day, and realize that you still think about God pretty much the same way you've thought about Him the last 5 years?

My pastor said this morning, that God is willing for you to have as much of Him as you want. Don't you want more? Don't you? I do. I've gotten a taste, and I see His willingness to give more than I ever imagined. He is good.

Ask Him for more. Ask Him. He'll never fail to give.

8 comments:

SLW said...
This comment has been removed by the author.
Flyawaynet said...

Hey slw... the link takes me to blogger.com
Can you give it to me again?

SLW said...

This might be of interest:
more-of-the-holy-spirit

Hopefully that will work.

Interesting post. God should be real, i.e. experienced, don't you think? I honestly don't know what fuels Christianity that is all academics and theory and no experience.

Flyawaynet said...

I loved the quote. Thank you!

On what you said about Christianity fueled by academics:
I was thinking about something along those lines last night. I testified about how nice it is to have a relationship with God where you actually talk to Him and He talks to you. And I realized, until last year I was among those that didn't have that type of conversation with God. And I wondered how many in our congregation don't have that either.
Having it, changes my Christianity (probably not the best way to state it, but the best I can think of at the moment). I'd never want to go back to the way it was before. This is just too good.

SLW said...

Dan Edelen is has an interesting post I think is germane. For a lot of folk in churches it's all about information about God and what's He's done rather than personal interaction with God and experiencing what He's doing. I get a kick out of hearing about awakenings like your's.

Flyawaynet said...

We read the same blogs apparently slw, I'd already read his post this morning. It was terrific, and it reminded me of a psalm I read last night
Psalms 131:1,2
My heart is not proud, O LORD,
my eyes are not haughty;
I do not concern myself with great matters or things too wonderful for me.

But I have stilled and quieted my soul; like a weaned child with its mother, like a weaned child is my soul within me.

Anonymous said...

Why would health professionals want to keep these secret?

Flyawaynet said...

So they could all get together and write a book about them. :)