Sleepless Nights and Scripture

The older I get the more I crave and appreciate a good night's sleep. And so I find it annoying to wake up an hour or so before the alarm clock is to go off. I began tossing and turning this morning and noticed it was 4:53 a.m. Susan could tell I was awake and made a brief suggestion: "Jim, stop thinking about things and instead dwell on Jesus and on Scripture." What great counsel from my bride.

As she turned and went back to sleep, I took her advice...and immediately these words of Jesus popped into my mind: "I am the way, the truth and the life. No one comes to the Father except by me." At first I thought of what a great three point sermon that would be. However, I quickly shifted into meditation mode and dwelled on how Jesus is the only way and I told Him that I want to keep following Him.

I dwelled on how Jesus is truth, not a truth but THE truth. There are so many lies out there about what truth is, but Jesus says that He Himself is the exclusive truth. I told Him that I believed that He is Who He says He is. The truth is not a doctrine, a creed or a denominational stance. The truth is a Person, the Lord Jesus Christ.

Finally I pondered how Jesus is the life. Oh, how we all try to find life in something else -- even such good and wholesome things as meaningful work, love from family and a comfortable lifestyle. But I told Jesus that I believe He is THE life and He is my life. I prayed that He would let me experience more of His life in me.

I eventually drifted off to sleep for another hour, feeling such peace. Maybe the best times for meditation on God's word are those unexpected and unplanned moments when the Holy Spirit slows us down and even wakes us up at night so that we will listen to His voice and dwell on the truthfulness, beauty and saving power of Jesus.

I'm so glad now that I did wake up at 4:53. In those quiet moments my spirit was so open to the Holy Spirit -- Who made it so clear to me why there is no other path, no other truth and no other life than what is found in Jesus .

Jim