While You were Sleeping
12/09/2019 18:54
I recently read a book titled ‘While you were sleeping’. The story centred around a young woman who was engaged to be married. Sadly, on the eve of her special day, she was knocked down by a car and fell into a coma. When she woke up, the young lass assumed she’d been out of it for a brief moment. She was horrified to discover that it had not been a matter of days or even months, but that she’d been ‘sleeping’ for six long years.
To make matters worse, her fiancé, after several years of faithful waiting at her bedside, had fallen in love and got married to someone else. What a shock! It was a lovely story and I enjoyed it, but the ending I’d hoped for didn’t happen. I love happy endings so I felt cheated. I’m so glad there is an Author who gets it right every single time—the Author of your story and mine. The Bible tells me that when I place my trust in Jesus as my Saviour and Lord, I can be certain that the end of my life's story will reach its perfect fairytale ending, not because of my own goodness but because of His great love. We are told that Jesus the Bridegroom is coming for His Bride, His people. It will be a glorious end to the story of the world and the remarkable beginning of the story of Eternity.
The other day, errant spring breezes had been up to mischief, stripping young maple leaves from my neighbour’s tree and tossing them all over our driveway. I started to clear them up, realising too that it was time to tackle another job I’d put off all week. I swept the maple leaves through our garage and into our back section. There’d been a large collection of other leaves over there as well, dancing around our patio. But now, as I looked to sweep them … where were they? The paving looked spanking clean.
‘I took care of it while you were sleeping, Nushi’. God’s smile warmed me.
“You did?” I looked around me, incredulous.
There was not even one leaf to be seen!
“I always do. Didn’t you know that sweet daughter?”
“Of course!” I smiled back at my Daddy God.
“Thank you Papa. Thank you so very much.”
Like a cool refreshing breeze, Gods kindness enveloped me. As God’s truth seeped into my being, my spirit soared like an eagle in flight. And no, I wasn’t thanking Him for cleaning up the leaves. God knew that my heartfelt gratitude was for the assurance He gave me (through what He did that day) that He is always working for my good; even while I am ‘sleeping’. I bent down, gathered the leaves I’d collected and tossed them into our green bin.
I’d been praying fervently regarding a tough circumstance I faced. In response, God had assured me through His Word that all I had to do was to keep looking at Jesus. He had also been letting me know that as I focussed on His goodness and greatness, He would fight my battles. What happened now was another poignant reminder. Yes, He does take care of my every need, even something as insignificant as the leaves that littered my patio. What a God we serve!
The Bible gives us numerous examples of how God worked in spite of circumstances. He caused a woman in her nineties have a baby, He delivered a whole nation from slavery, He made the sun and moon to stand still, He breathed fire on Elijah’s water-soaked sacrifice, He cured a man of leprosy as he bathed in the river Jordon, He delivered Shadrack Meshach and Abednego from a fiery furnace, He saved Daniel from a den of lions, He ordered a whale to swallow Jonah so he wouldn’t drown and … I could go on and on. In fact these are but a tiny snapshot of all He did over the ages. As I turn the page over and open the New Testament, I consider all that Jesus did and I am brought to my knees in wonder, awe and praise.
Are you grappling with a tough situation? A difficult person? A chronic illness? A challenging season? Have you been unfairly treated? Has life thrown lemons at you? Let’s you and I look up at the face of Jesus. As we focus our attention on our mighty powerful awesome God with thanksgiving and praise, we will know that as sure as night follows day, our faithful Father will continue to take care of all our needs.
While I was sleeping God was awake.
While you were sleeping God was on your case.
As we rest in Him, He will make all things beautiful ... and in His time!
“I remain confident of this: I will see the goodness of the Lord in the land of the living.
Wait for the Lord; be strong and take heart and wait for the Lord.” Psalm 27:13-14