time with My Father

Sleep alluded me. My mind was wide awake although my body was crying out for rest. My spirit within was too restless and I tossed and turned trying to find the stillness that would lead to sleep. But it wouldn't come.

As I poured out my petition to God requesting sleep, the discomfort and disquiet continued and I sensed His voice telling me that rest would only come after I spent some time just sitting at His Feet. The past few weeks had been hectic and stuffed full. It had been emotionally and physically exhausting and my sweet time with Him had been filled with little snatches of time here and there. Not the usual routine for me. I was craving some time with my Father and it appeared that it was to be in the middle of the night.

Realizing that sleep wouldn't come soon, I obeyed His prompting and rose out of bed and made my way to my study. My sanctuary. My refuge.

I sat in my chair, gazed at the open bible on my desk and immediately felt peace descend upon me. I just love these times with God. These scared moments when the world seems so far away and I feel so removed from it. These times when it seems like the whole world is asleep and it's only me and my sweet Savior. 

As I sat in silence ensconced in my Father's lap, I was listening intently. I turned the pages of the Holy Scriptures and sought a Word from Him. I was in desperate need of an encouraging Word. My spirit was thirsting for just a small drop of the water from His cup. Just a tiny drop would satisfy the longing I felt deep inside. The first page I turn to was in Luke 4 and my eyes fell on a verse that was already highlighted and marked for such a time as this.

"...and He laid His Hands on every one

of them, and He healed them"

The tears began to flow as my heart soaked up this precious drop of water that was being squeezed upon me from above. I felt new life surge within me. The Word that I was so desperately craving was being dispensed to me from the only One who could do just what the Word said.

Had I not heeded His voice, I would have missed this beautiful moment. A moment that I needed in a huge way. As the tears flowed, my mind wandered to the precious person that will receive this healing. I began to claim this for my sister and began to praise Him for what He is doing and what He is going to do. I couldn't wait to share this scripture with her when daylight came.

I could feel His Presence surround me and knew that when the sweet time with Him was over, sleep would come. Peaceful and restful sleep. As I read through the chapter, there were several places that the Lord took me and gave me more confirmation of His Word. My weary spirit felt revived. My tired body felt restored. As I had cried out to the Lord with such deep longing, He heard my distress and gave me a reprieve from myself.

"And they were astonished at His doctrine,

for His Word was with power"

(Luke 4:32)

The power of Christ is inexhaustible. There are no limits to it or no boundaries. All authority belongs to Him. He speaks and it is so. He commands and it is done.

And just when I felt myself losing the grip I had on my rope of strength, Jesus reaches down and grasps my hand. 

Renewed. Restored. Revived.

How sweet is the Lord. How precious is His Word. How timely are His answers to our cries.

...and He healed them all.... thank you, Lord.