•10:13 PM
My brother, Nat, and I used to share an apartment near City Hospital. One morning, very early, Nat got up to go pray with our pastor on a hill that overlooks the city. This was at some terrible hour like 5am.
Not me though. I stayed in bed.
I was sleeping soundly, and then I was wide awake as if I'd never been asleep. (If you've never had this experience, it usually means that the Lord wants you to pray about something. You're asleep one second, and then wide awake like it was the middle of the afternoon the next.)
The invisible presence of the Lord was standing beside my bed. I felt him standing there behind me. (Note of explanation: At this time, I was praying for about an hour every night. I was working with Child Evangelism Fellowship, seeing kids saved all the time. I was reading the Bible all the time. Basically, I was seeking the Lord with all my heart. Jn 14:21 says, "He that hath my commandments, and keepeth them, he it is that loveth me: and he that loveth me shall be loved of my Father, and I will love him, and will manifest myself to him." It means exactly what it says!)
I felt him standing behind me. For a split second, I thought about pretending to be asleep, but you can't pull a fast one on God, so I got up. Reluctantly.
"Alright, Lord, I'll give you 5 minutes."
I walked into the living room and knelt with my face on the floor. I waited on the Lord to speak.
Nothing.
"Okay, Lord, what do I know about you?" I prayed, "You're God. You're from everlasting. You came to this earth as a baby about 2,000 years ago..."
On and on I went, listing what I knew from reading the Bible.
"You walked upon water. You fed thousands with a little food. You died for my sins. You rose up from the grave. You ascended on high. You're coming again very soon."
Eventually, having droned on and on, I was feeling tired again. I asked,
"What else?" Not really expecting an answer.
But I got one. I will never forget it as long as I live. The Lord Jesus Christ said,
"Chris, I woke you up to tell you that I love you."
I can't express the emotions that I felt. Tears rolled down my face. I cried for joy, for amazement.
Jesus woke ME up to tell me that HE loves me. I still can't get my head around it, and that's been over 15 years ago. Wow!
Not me though. I stayed in bed.
I was sleeping soundly, and then I was wide awake as if I'd never been asleep. (If you've never had this experience, it usually means that the Lord wants you to pray about something. You're asleep one second, and then wide awake like it was the middle of the afternoon the next.)
The invisible presence of the Lord was standing beside my bed. I felt him standing there behind me. (Note of explanation: At this time, I was praying for about an hour every night. I was working with Child Evangelism Fellowship, seeing kids saved all the time. I was reading the Bible all the time. Basically, I was seeking the Lord with all my heart. Jn 14:21 says, "He that hath my commandments, and keepeth them, he it is that loveth me: and he that loveth me shall be loved of my Father, and I will love him, and will manifest myself to him." It means exactly what it says!)
I felt him standing behind me. For a split second, I thought about pretending to be asleep, but you can't pull a fast one on God, so I got up. Reluctantly.
"Alright, Lord, I'll give you 5 minutes."
I walked into the living room and knelt with my face on the floor. I waited on the Lord to speak.
Nothing.
"Okay, Lord, what do I know about you?" I prayed, "You're God. You're from everlasting. You came to this earth as a baby about 2,000 years ago..."
On and on I went, listing what I knew from reading the Bible.
"You walked upon water. You fed thousands with a little food. You died for my sins. You rose up from the grave. You ascended on high. You're coming again very soon."
Eventually, having droned on and on, I was feeling tired again. I asked,
"What else?" Not really expecting an answer.
But I got one. I will never forget it as long as I live. The Lord Jesus Christ said,
"Chris, I woke you up to tell you that I love you."
I can't express the emotions that I felt. Tears rolled down my face. I cried for joy, for amazement.
Jesus woke ME up to tell me that HE loves me. I still can't get my head around it, and that's been over 15 years ago. Wow!
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