In The Still

A special morning in my house. You are invited.

 In The Still

 

By Angela Posey-Arnold

 

'3:30 A.M.? Wait, let me find my glasses and make sure the time is right', I thought to myself.

 

 'Yep, 3:30 A.M. Well, why am I wide awake then? Oh yeah, we set our clocks back last night. My body thinks it is 4:30. Good morning, Lord Jesus. Thank You for a good night's rest and no bad dreams. Today is the Sabbath, the Blessed Sabbath Day.'

 

 I began going about my regular morning routine. Silently rehearsing the song our choir prepared for worship in just a few hours. The stillness of the morning before the dawn is a perfect time for prayer and devotion.  I quickly made a pot of coffee.

 

Radar, my Chihuahua, woke when he heard me. Patient he held his little bladder while I unlocked the front door. I turned on the porch light and let him outside in the crisp cool autumn air. Not far behind I coaxed my 14 year old Pug who reluctantly emerged from his warm bed.

 

Coffee made, dogs in, my husband sleepily walked in the den where I'm settled in my recliner.

 

"Are you okay? Are you cold? Want me to light a fire?" he said rubbing the sleep from his eyes.

 

"I'm fine, Not a lot of pain this morning, I just woke up and don't feel sleepy anymore. I lit the fire. I'm fine."

 

"Okay." he sleepily kissed the air in my direction and shuffled back to bed.

 

For a few minutes I sat in my recliner. Just still. Listening to the sounds of the morning. The cats outside started moving around as our big dog barked at something in the pasture. This was followed by a prolonged rhapsody from the donkey in the field next to ours. Joy filled my heart.

 

Then I remembered the problems and concerns of life. My heart sank. They began naming themselves one by one, again. Still there, ever present but so nice to escape and forget them for a little while. I began to talk to Jesus again to ask for strength and help to adorn God's armor.

 

I've read how others pray and talk to the Lord. I remembered how my Grandmother prayed and taught me how. But mostly I talk to Jesus like he is my best friend. He is my best friend. He says I can talk to Him anytime and I do. I know He hears me, too. How do I know? Because He answers prayers. He has proved it to me time after time.

 

Most of the time I do all the talking, but not this morning. This crisp cool autumn morning I listened more than I talked. How He communicates with His own is determined by the personal relationship we have with Him. The conversations you have with Jesus are just that, between you and Him.

 

God speaks to us through His Word, through other people and in our hearts. He speaks to us in that still small voice, but sometimes the voice is so clear inside my heart I know without a doubt it is Him. I am one of His sheep. God’s children understand. Sheep know the voice of The Shepherd.

 

God tells us in His Word, "Be still, and know that I am God: I will be exalted among the heathen, I will be exalted in the earth. (Psalm 46:10 KJV)

 

In the quiet and peacefulness of a Sabbath morning I was still. I grasped the Grace, and held on to His love.

 

Before the dawn I could only hear the clock pendulum and the fire crackling and popping in the fire place. Praise and thanksgiving in my heart I relaxed focusing all my attention on being still.

 

"My heart is so heavy Lord. I am weary of the problems of our country…." I don't think I said the words out loud.

 

'Read My Word.'  In my spirit I heard Him, "Get into My Word, you have a hunger for it, eat."

 

"Yes, Lord. Your Word is the answer. I will do that."

 

"Now."

 

"Oh? Now? Okay." He wasn't kidding.

 

I looked around my recliner for my Bible and it wasn't near. I woke the dogs who were asleep in the recliner with me. Then unwrapped the quilt I had cocooned myself in. Quiet, so not to wake my husband, I quickly got my Bible off the kitchen table.

 

I situated myself into my comfy place again and I opened the Living Word of God. I did not know where to start nor did I have a specific book, chapter or verse in mind. I opened to Zechariah and my eyes fell to Chapter 14:1 "Behold, the day of the Lord cometh. And thy spoil shall be divided in the midst of thee" (Zechariah 14:1 KJV)

 

I felt comforted by the first part but the second line reminded me of the money we lost in the stock market meltdown. Somebody divided our spoil alright. I am just not sure who. No matter who, it is gone. What was to be our retirement disappeared into thin air. It was nice to know we had it if an emergency arose, but it is gone. Poof. Gone.  

 

Closing my Bible I pondered the Scripture for a few minutes. Behold, the DAY OF THE LORD cometh. The spoil won't matter then.

 

Opening His Word again this time to the New Testament the first words I read were, "Be ye therefore ready also; for the Son of man cometh at an hour when ye think not."(Luke 12:40 KJV)

 

I looked out the big window toward the east. The sun was rising. The colors of the sky were incredible. Only a sky God could paint. Comforted and awe inspired I watched the sun come up and imagined what it will be like when the Eastern Sky opens and Jesus we see. I was still and I know He is God. The Sovereign God creator of all the earth and He cares about me. Amazing Grace.

 

Imagine the day, the hour when He comes. The old hymn came to my mind, "What a day that will be, when my Jesus I shall see. When I look upon His face, the One Who saved me by His Grace. And forever I will be with the One Who died for me. What a Day glorious day that will be. When He takes me by the hand, and leads me to the Promised Land, What a Day, Glorious Day that will be."

 

Jesus is coming to get His church and I am graciously comforted. Among all the uncertainty and chaos of Wall Street, Main Street and Pennsylvania Avenue as Christians we can be comforted by the truth.  Jesus is coming again. He is coming.

 

We must be about the Father's business.

 

Another hymn writer penned these word, "Until then, my heart will go on singing, until then with joy I'll carry on, Until the day my eyes behold that city, Until the day, God calls me home." 

 

He which testifieth these things saith, Surely I come quickly. Amen. Even so, come, Lord Jesus. (Revelation 22:20 KJV)

 

Every person, every human will have a choice to accept Jesus or reject Him. My prayer for you my friend is you believe and accept Jesus as your Savior. Ask Him to come and live in your heart. You will be comforted.

 

No man knows the day or the hour. Not even the angels in heaven know. What we do know is Jesus IS coming. How do I know? He reminded me November 1st, 2008 around 4:00 A.M.

 

 ©Angela Posey-Arnold 2008