Tonight, I found myself up at 2am and I was stirred to go and worship. I decided that if I was called to worship right now, in this moment, then God will not let it disturb my sleeping children.
I went to the piano, secured the mute peddle and like a room being flooded from somewhere inside, I could feel the spirit come out. All I needed was already right there inside of me.
Most flooding comes from an outside source and floods into the space. This morning as I worshiped in the wee hours, I was flooded straight from the center of myself. I tapped into the Source. Holy Spirit within me. Christ within me.
As I worshiped with my eyes closed and my heart surrendered to heaven, I saw myself. There I was in a space that seemed like I was alone, playing and worshiping from a beautiful black grand piano. I knew God was showing me myself in heaven in that moment. He was watching. He was listening. He was being glorified.
In that moment, in the wee hours, I heard Him speak to my heart, “You are a watchman on the wall.”
I then realized that there have been quite a few times lately when I am awake at very unusual times. In the middle of the night around 2am I find myself waking up after rolling back and forth in a disturbed slumber for a while. When I have been waking up at these nighttime hours, I have not been feeling tired, rather I wake up feeling very alert and ready to go. In the past, I would’ve fought for the sleep I thought I needed without realizing that God had a purpose for my sleeplessness. The difference is, right now when I wake at those unusual times, I get up to see what God has for me.
Why do I share this with you?
Because I wonder how often we miss out on intimate moments of God-connectedness because it is an inconvenient time. How often have we missed walking out our calling because we missed the midnight moments?
It was a midnight moment when Paul and Silas were found worshiping God and He suddenly caused an earthquake to come and it released all the prisoners. All the cells were opened and then as a result of all of this, the jailer and his entire family were saved, right there in the middle of the night. In the inconvenient hour. In the time when most people hang up their “Do Not Disturb” sign.
But in my life, there have been multiple seasons when God has wanted to make use of this strange time of day. I know from my history with Him, that many battles are fought in the midnight hours. I am trying to be much more deliberate to participate in these battles. These wars aren’t fought with screaming and yelling, they are fought in the sweet and intimate moments of our lives. They are fought and won at the piano in the middle of the night, simply singing a tender love song to God.
Prayer Moment: God, help me to never turn away from Your call to battle. Forgive me for the many times when I’ve heard that call in the night, but I’ve been too selfish for sleep to engage. I am Yours. I’m so sorry I haven’t always been an active warrior in the night hours. You’ve called me to be a night watchman, so I will trust You to make the sleep I get seem like more. I trust that I will face each day feeling rested, because only in Your Kingdom can warring bring rest. I am so thankful for You. I love You. I am Yours. In Jesus name, amen.
At the end of seven days the word of the Lord came to me. “Son of man, I have made you a watchman for the house of Israel so hear the word I speak and give them warning from me.” Ezekiel 3:16
365 Days in the Presence 