Do you love to sleep? I do! In college, I would be one of the sad souls hanging out at the student union watching soaps and SLEEPING! I would go to the library to study.... and fall asleep! Even now, I love a good nap. And, put me in a car on a long road trip (as long as I'm NOT driving), and I will be snoozing before long.
When I was reading Jonah recently, something jumped out at me like never before. This is WHY I LOVE GOD'S WORD!!!!! IT IS ALIVE!! THE HOLY SPIRIT TEACHES SO MUCH THROUGH IT!!!
God had told Jonah to go to Nineveh to tell the people to repent. Jonah promptly went to....Tarshish! Jonah got on boat headed for the other side of the world. He probably thought he had run far enough away from God and decided to take a snooze. While he was sleeping, God sent a huge storm to get Jonah's attention. The storm is brutal and the men are panicking. They have begun to throw things overboard in hopes that the ship doesn't sink. The men have prayed to their various "gods," hoping one will calm the storm and the sea. The captain runs down below to have Jonah pray to his "god" only to find Jonah SLEEPING. He can't believe it! He yells to Jonah, "HOW CAN YOU SLEEP?"
When I read this, it pierced my heart! I wondered, how often do I "sleep" when God is trying to get my attention? And, does it take a STORM to wake me up and get me back on the right track of obedience? I DO NOT want to be caught sleeping like Jonah.
Oh, Lord, forgive my times of stubborn disobedience! Forgive me when you tell me to go to Nineveh and I head directly for Tarshish. May I not sleep through Your warnings. When You are trying to get my attention, I pray that I am aware. Help me to be sensitive to Your Holy Spirit.
19 thoughts shared....:
Amen Tracy! I also find myself sleeping when I need to be with Christ on His mission for my life.
Oh, dear napping sister - GREAT lesson here. I like to think I'm "meditating" (yea, right) when the sleep goes to excess. Stubborn disobedience? Very well could be. Thank you for timely reminder!
Wow what a Word... something I need to think about too :)
Great WFW!
Blessings.
Great WFW. I feel the same way sometimes. In fact that is my spiritual goal for this year. To become closer to God. To wake up and hear the voice of God and to walk closer to Him.
Wonderful picture! How much of our life do we walk around sleeping, while God is saying I am here follow me into my great work! I have to confess, I have done that so much! Thanks for the wonderful words!
Very precious. I too have always loved sleep...stay up late at nights...but hard to get up girl and yet there is so much to be done.
Fibro/chronic fatigue has made it harder to sort out the mix of needed sleep and 'just want to sleep'
May I not need a storm to awaken me when He wants me awake.
I'm learning to stay awake also. Thanks for the post.
Blessings
Wow, that was a neat scripture to use. I pray God doesn't catch me sleeping either!
Thanks for sharing!
Beth
Ah, Tracy, I love to sleep, too, and my heart has been pierced before by the Gospel accounts of Jesus praying in the Garden of Gethsemane while His disciples slept.
"Then He said to them, 'My soul is overwhelmed with sorrow to the point of death. Stay here and keep watch with me.' Going a little farther, He fell with His face to the ground and prayed, 'My Father, if it is possible, may this cup be taken from Me. Yet not as I will, but as You will.' Then He returned to His disciples and found them sleeping. 'Could you men not keep watch with Me for one hour?' He asked Peter. 'Watch and pray so that you will not fall into temptation. The spirit is willing, but the body is weak.' He went away a second time and prayed, "My Father, if it is not possible for this cup to be taken away unless I drink it, may Your will be done.'
When He came back, He again found them sleeping, because their eyes were heavy. So He left them and went away once more and prayed the third time, saying the same thing. Then He returned to the disciples and said to them, 'Are you still sleeping and resting? Look, the hour is near, and the Son of Man is betrayed into the hands of sinners. Rise, let us go! Here comes My betrayer!' "
(Matthew 26:38-45;
see also Mark 14:37-41;
Luke 22:46)
Hey Tracy,
This was great. O how many of us are guilty of slumber when we need to be busy about HIS business!
Thanks for sharing this today.
Happy WFW♥
Oh my Sister Tracy, you are the best "alarm clock" I've ever had. Thanks for assisting God in waking me up!
smooches, Larie
Tracy, God really brings this Scripture to life through your post! I am sitting here shaking my head at the number of times God's used a storm to get my attention, probably saying, "How in the world can you sleep?!" My prayer echoes yours. Great post, dear friend! I hope you'll try to get this one published somewhere as a devotional. Happy WFW!
I love this today. Happy WFW!
I love it! What a great and powerful word you've shared today. Thanks for the blessing.
Cat
THAT is great Trac! I love it!! I have the opposite problem..I have trouble stilling...but when I DO sleep...I have so much I WANT to do that I hate stopping for that break, ya know....
Funny thing, even awake, I'm often "sleeping" through what He's trying to tell me...hmmmmmmmm
You pierced my heart too! IN A GOOD WAY! :) I pray with you NOT to sleep...but to always BE AWARE and sensitive to the SPIRIT!!
Great post!!
hugs,
lori
Can't help but think of when Jesus take a few of the disciples with him away to pray and they kept falling asleep...
Thank Goodness God never falls asleep!
maybe this is why I never sleep? lol
This is a great lesson to learn. I can remember a time or two, when I have fallen asleep and God had to wake me up with a storm. And it wasn't nice.
Many times I have prayed a similar prayer. Great post.
Precious.
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