Speak, LORD

To my displeasure, my eyes were open well before my alarm went off this morning. In the back of my mind, I know I was preaching to Sarah, “If you ever have trouble sleeping, get up and say, ‘Speak LORD, for your servant is listening.’” But I was burying that thought deep in my subconscious. I closed my eyes and pleaded, “LORD, 20 more minutes. Please let me sleep just 20 more minutes.”

As I lay in bed I thought of the Children of Israel on the outskirts of Canaan. The 12 spies had just come back with their scouting report. Lifting up a humungous cluster of grapes, they said, “The land does flow with milk and honey! Here is its fruit!” (Numbers 13:27) Then they reported that the people who lived there were big and strong and lived in huge fortified cities. Ten of the spies were insistent that the Israelites were like grasshoppers compared to the people that lived in Cannan and were convinced that they would not be able to conquer them.

I can identify with the people of Israel. I often count the costs and come to the conclusion that I am not able to proceed. I hear myself saying, “I don’t have the resources, time, or energy. It will cost me financially, my status, my reputation, or my life. I can’t do it.”

I think my judgment as well as the Israelite’s assessment of their situation was correct. However, Caleb and Joshua opposed such thinking. It wasn’t because they were looking at the situation through rose-colored glasses, but it was because they believed what the LORD had said. God not only told Moses that He was going to lead the Israelites to a land of abundance (Exodus 3:8, 17), but He was going to give it to them (Numbers 13:2). In spite of great opposition, this is where Caleb and Joshua chose to take their stand.

2,000 years ago another Joshua spoke out against our natural inclinations. Jesus said, “Seek ye first the kingdom of God and his righteousness, and all these things shall be given to you” (Matthew 6:33). Throughout history, even though the details are different, the Biblical bottom line is the same—“Trust God!”

My alarm clock rang. As I got up to turn it off, I wasn’t sure if I was awake or asleep for the last 20 minutes, but I was sure of one thing—I was refreshed.

Another thought crossed my mind as I headed up the hallway to offer up the first fruits of my day. Ironically, instead of making a beeline to thank the LORD for giving me rest for the day, I was heading to the coffeemaker and the computer…Now I’m sitting here wondering if I was responding to two other altar calls before heading to the throne of grace…