Wakened by God

 March 6, 2023

Last night in our “Hearing from God” class, we were instructed to be silent for a short time, then to write down whatever single word or short phrase came to mind. The context of this exercise was that we so often jump into prayer requests without ever taking time to listen to what God might be saying in our hearts. So I listened. 

The words that came to me were, “Get Up!” A little backstory is in line here. Prior to this time of silence, we were asked to identify anything that might hinder our hearing from God. We were asked to name one word that came to mind. My word was “consistency.” Contrary to my expectations of retirement, I find myself with at least three mornings each week when I have meetings starting anytime between 6:00 and 9:00 am. My normal rising time is between 6:00 and 6:30, which means that at least on two of these three days, I don’t have time first thing in the morning to sit, read, and pray.  I try to work out at least two mornings each week, and if I can’t do it first thing, it tends not to happen at all.

I make sure I take time with God every day, but when the time jumps all over the clock, it doesn’t feel very consistent. It feels like I’m just squeezing God in whenever it’s convenient. That’s no good. So when I heard the words, “Get Up,” I knew it meant rising earlier than my normal 6:00 am. Last night, I decided to not set my alarm and see what time I woke up—sort of testing whether this word was from God or somewhere within my psyche. This morning, I was wide awake at 5:20! One of the first things I do in the morning is scroll through my emails, eliminating all the fluff at once. Takes less than a minute. All that was left this morning was my Daily Light devotional, which read as follows:

The LORD your God... went before you in the way to seek you out a place to pitch your tents, in fire by night and in the cloud by day, to show you by what way you should go.—Like an eagle that stirs up its nest, that flutters over its young, spreading out its wings, catching them, bearing them on its pinions, the LORD alone guided him.—The LORD your God is in your midst, a mighty one who will save; he will rejoice over you with gladness. (From Deut. 1 & 32, and Zeph. 3:17).

God went before me by night, and stirred up my nest in the morning, establishing my steps so he could rejoice over me with singing. Answered prayer—I wanted to rise early; God worked though the night, woke me up in the morning so I would be able to take the time needed for him to bless me with his Presence. It doesn’t get much better or clearer than that!