Asleep?

Today, my eyes captured the scriptures from Acts 20:7-12...I am going to ask you to place yourself in the story...It was the beginning of a busy week, but tonight you are going to gather with other believers to share the LORD'S supper and say good bye to Paul. You arrive to a room that is lit with flickering candles, perhaps share fellowship, a meal and you sit towards the back of the room to listen to Paul speak before he leaves town. You are tired. You had a lot to catch up on, since the week was starting over and yet you couldn't miss this time together.

You settle in the back next to the windowsill to catch a breath of fresh air as you listen. You listen and you feel totally at peace. You are among other believers, you are with those you love, you feel peace in your heart, you give into the worn out body from work and the darkness of the room lulls you to sleep. Suddenly, you have fallen out of the room into the air landing 3 floors below.

I must pause here a moment and ask us to look at ourselves before we make any judgment about this happening. Take Sunday morning you've had a long week, but you get up and head to church. You walk in grab your usual seat and speak to a few people in passing and wait for the message. The whole time with thoughts of all the things you need to do going through your head. You begin to make mental notes of the things and marking things off the list, when suddenly you look at your watch and the preacher is over by 10 minutes, 15 minutes and you are boiling...you aren't sleeping you are mad...What does he mean going over time? We give him a certain amount of time and he thinks he can go over? Okay, maybe you aren't that bad, but have you had similar thoughts??? Be honest at least with yourself. First, off you've missed the whole sermon with your to do list going on...you've just sat in your seat making an appearance..you want credit for showing up is all you did and yet you are angry. You don't know what he even said, but he's over...

I find the story from Acts different. Yes, he fell asleep, but he had other factors...It was dark and only lit by candles. It was after the evening meal, a long day of work and it tells us it was after midnight...not a few minutes talk - a long talk. Perhaps others were feeling the same way and this was God's way of getting everyone's attention...He fell 3 stories and Paul went bent over him, said a few words and brought him back to them. We are told they returned shared the Lord's Supper, and Paul spoke until after dawn and then he left. I think this woke them up to hear more powerful words from Paul before he left. What a visual to finish off the sermon with the impact to make a difference for the Kingdom!

God is so amazing! He wanted these people on fire for Him and He wanted to get their attention! What does He have to do to get our attention?

I feel the excitement in that room and know these people were ready to speak to others about Him! Do you? Are you ready? Why is it hard to speak to others about Our Savior? He is amazing, so why don't we want to share this amazing story along with others? God isn't ho hum -- oh no He is all out! Doesn't He amaze you with the way He shows up? The Word from a friend that you know God placed that word in their mouth to share with you? The Word from the pulpit that hits you right between the eyes and without a doubt God sent to you? What about the amazing way He shows up in His Words?

Don't get caught up in you to do list that you miss His words for you...I think about all the times I have sat in the pew and missed my words because I wasn't listening. Not only could God not amaze somebody with me falling out of a window, but my heart and ears weren't open to even let the light shine through...Don't be the one just showing up and grabbing your seat without feeling the love, the peace that passes all understanding flowing around you to just pass the time and get credit for showing up...Don't miss God's amazing love being passed through someone around you!

Sweet blessings,
Debbie