Psalm 17:15
I am innocent, Lord, and I will see your face! When I awake, all I want is to see you as you are.
Scripture taken from the Contemporary English Version © 1991,1992, 1995 by American Bible Society, Used by Permission.
Timothy and I lay down last night to read stories and prepare for bed. He asked me several questions about “when I wake up”… when he woke up, would we go to church? (yes!)… when he woke up, could he play with his toys again? (absolutely!)… when he woke up, could he have something to eat (certainly!)… when he woke up, would he see Uncle Greg and his “friends” (stuffed animals) again? (most definitely!). Each time I assured him, he would smile and relax…and sometimes he would let out a heavy sigh as if he were greatly relieved to hear my answer.
Timothy struggled to surrender to sleep…even after admitting that he was very tired and that all of his energy was gone and he needed to rest to fill up with more. I kept stroking his hair, singing softly to him, rubbing his back and snuggling him. Finally, he drifted off to sweet slumber and rested soundly. This morning, he awoke refreshed and eager to see his Uncle Greg and his “friends”… to play with toys and eat breakfast. He had trusted that my promises were true… and he was delighted to confirm this.
In our spiritual life, we are every bit like a 4-year-old child. We struggle with letting God have control… with letting go and trusting Him to recharge our batteries, so to speak – to renew our energy and meet our needs. We know in reason that we will wake up in heaven someday and meet Him face-to-face. Still, we often toss and turn, as God tries to soothe us and offer us comfort. We think of a zillion things that need to be done or experienced… and we live in a way that says, “I want to trust You and believe in YOU, LORD… I want to serve You and follow Your commands. I trust that You are waiting for me and will deliver on all of Your promises. But I’m having a little trouble giving everything over to You.”
If only we could have a glimpse of what lies ahead… if only we could get a little “sneak preview” of heaven! Then, maybe we would be able to relax and rest in the LORD. Maybe we wouldn’t struggle so much with the things of this world… with indecision, temptation, worry and nagging doubts. Perhaps we would be able to truly take God at His word… and to serve Him out of pure faith and expectation.
Here’s the deal… until we learn to operate in faith and expectation… until we fully embrace the promise of heaven and live in a way that honors our anticipation of life there at the feet of Jesus… we will never truly experience the peace of God. We will always be restless… we will always have trouble with the temptations and challenges of this world… we will always find it hard to truly relax and allow God to energize us. We must learn to recognize God’s presence in our lives on this earth… and to anticipate His presence in person for all Eternity.
Aren’t you ready to “sleep like a baby”… to rest in the peace of the LORD… to operate energetically in the confidence that God is numbering your steps on this earth – and waits to greet you in person when you arrive at Heaven’s gate? Will this be the day that you take Him at His word… with the conviction of a four-year-old who believes that morning will bring new vitality and adventures? When you awake tomorrow, what – and WHO – will you see?
©2013 Debbie Robus
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