I had a sleepless night recently. I drifted off to sleep my usual time, 9 PM, but was up at 10:30 PM, 12:30 AM, and 2 AM. I decided at 2 AM to try sleeping in the recliner. Stayed about an hour when I concluded that was not going to work, so headed back to bed. After fussing in bed for a while, I just got up. 3:30 AM. Not quite wide awake, but still unable to sleep.
sent out and posted my devotions. And then I just sat there. The house and neighborhood were quiet. That is a rarity.
As I focused on the quiet, I heard the Spirit whisper … “The Lord is in His holy temple; let everyone on earth be silent in His presence.” [Habakkuk 2:20 HCSB]
I obeyed the Spirit of God. I kept silent. I leaned in to hear what the LORD might whisper to me in that silence [as He whispered to Elijah in the cave.] [1Kings 19]
What profound truths would He reveal? What great and mighty directives might He give? I heard one word, “comfort.”
I was coming off a difficult week. The enemy of my soul had roughed me up pretty good that week. I thought I had failed a friend, failed the LORD as well. I had allowed some anxiety in, and a bit of depression was creeping around the corner. I had battled, rebuked, and done everything I thought I needed to do. Everything but one thing.
I had not allowed the LORD to comfort me. God wanted to give me His comfort, but I would not let Him. I did not feel worthy of it. Until that early morning when I could not sleep, too tired to fight, He reminded me in the quiet before dawn that He is in His Holy Temple.
Amen & Amen
