– Secret Place Insights –
Dear One, when I went to bed I was exhausted, busy all day from very early to late…late for me…that is. After Ron and I got nicely settled into bed, and he began reading aloud a story about a struggling artist from the 30’s, I thought that I probably wouldn’t stay awake through the first sentence. I didn’t.
In the middle of the night, I was dead asleep when suddenly I awakened to these words, “Pray that the Body would live in the fullness of the Holy Spirit.”
In the morning, as soon as I woke up, regret overwhelmed me. I remembered the directive, but there were two others which had followed, two others…which I could not recall. For the second directive all I had was the word ‘wisdom.’ I had no memory of anything from the third.
I asked God for forgiveness for not getting up, and writing out all three. And I certainly hope I will never do it again…I hope, oh I hope. For I know better.
That same scene had played out before. That was my reason for always (almost) keeping a notepad and pen on my nightstand, but that night neither pen nor paper were there. After having had such a tiring day, when I heard the words, I was still so sleepy that I did not get out of bed and go downstairs to get writing material. Instead, I told myself that I would remember. Oh dear, dear, dear…the patience of God is as enduring as His love.
Clearly, I understood the reasons for the directives. For at noon that day I was leading corporate prayer. The directive given was in support of Sunday’s message to live out what we learn from Scripture. Of course, no human being can live out God’s calling apart from the guiding of the Holy Spirit. Thus the directive for the Body to live in the fullness of the Holy Spirit. But what were the other messages?
Due to my failure, I will likely never know. But even in our failures, our loving Father offers blessings to His children. For the fact that God deemed…our small prayer gathering… worthy of His middle-of-night directives gave us reason to remain faithful to God’s ministry of corporate prayer. “Thank you, Father.”
“And we know that in all things God works for the
good of those who love Him, who have been called
according to His purpose.” Romans 8:28
Blessings,
Susanne
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