Devotionals
It’s early Saturday morning. I mean, it’s real early. For the past couple of weeks I’ve been feeling kind of puny; a cold that just doesn’t want to leave me alone wakes me up at night. Being the gallant knight of the realm that I am I get out of bed so I don’t wake my sleeping bride.
Oh, I don’t mind really, I figure that if the Lord has something on His mind He wants to discuss, then the coughing spell is His alarm clock. Sure I have to pressure wash the neighbors’ house tomorrow and a good night sleep would be a useful ally.
But this is important, it has to be, why else would Abba Father rouse me, rather than heal me? I appreciate the effort He’s been putting into the relationship here lately; being made aware of His willingness to hang out with me makes times like these a labor of love.
My smile throws off the blankets that had me softly chained to my bed, the pillow that held my head in the stocks of slumber releases me; the doors on my prison of precious sleep open wide and I’m free. I love nights like this.
“Do I want coffee or not? Hmmm, well, got to sleep some time, but if I drink that I wouldn’t be able to.” The thought of a hot cup of Java sitting on the end table, which sits like a quiet servant on my right side, does sound good though.
We have one of those huge recliners made for two people; since my wife won’t be joining me, one of our cats is filling in for her. I decide coffee would not be the best thing for me right now; probably change my mind here in a minute or two, I usually do.
I keep my laptop sitting on that table. I keep it close by just in case a moment of inspiration sounds a gentle alarm in my soul. Before I rouse my dozing Toshiba I’ll usually go outside to tell our Father “good morning.”
Like any rambunctious youngster I’ll find a toy or two to play with if I stay inside too long, I know I have to leave the things that easily distract me behind for just a moment or two. He didn’t ask me to get up so I could play, He wants time with me, this is important to Him, and that makes me feel special.
During the day, the things that weigh me down and fill my mind with anxious thought, contrasted with nights like tonight, making times like this so much more wonderful. Day time concerns often become night time worries, they wear me out and then my sleep is an exhausted time of rest, but the only thing rejuvenated is my body, my heart stayed up all night fretting.
Something I read in the news bothers me and Abba and I will discuss it. There are things going on all over the world that trouble our redeemed souls, sure, and those situations will sometimes keep me up late at night.
Sometimes I worry about the young people of this generation and their wandering ways, my heart hurts for them and I know that although I don’t care for the aches and pains of middle age; I sure wouldn’t want to be young again. I remember all too well how the adversary of man used trends, people and events to trap me; I’m certain his tactics haven’t changed, so I bow my graying head to pray for them.
I don’t like hearing about children being abused by anyone; priest, parent or daycare provider doesn’t matter, it shouldn’t happen in the first place. Things like that are calls to prayer, maybe even fasting with intercession; warriors marching behind Him, ready for the fight.
I wear many hats.
We have three kids still at home, so I wear the Father hat. When they are getting along with one another, I wear the Dad hat. If I go to the park with them or walk around the lake, I put on my Friend hat. When they blow it, I have a drill Sergeant hat; I may want to go easy on them, so I have to stay gentle but strong; the hat is for their good and mine, because if I’m not hard enough on them here and now, the world will be hard on them and they won’t be ready. I don’t like the drill Sergeant hat, but I own one.
I have several Husband hats too.
The Handy-man hat has been hanging on the coat rack of my mind for too long; the Honey Do projects have been left undone. The Preacher hat is one I’ve had to learn not to wear around my wife; better to wear the Confidant hat instead. If she wanted to be preached at she would have married one.
The Friend hat I wear around her is different than the one I wear around the kids; she’s matured and although she likes the playful times we share I have to remember not to get childish and ruin the romantic moments that please her. I may wear the Friend hat with Matthew and spray him with the garden hose; but if I do that to my wife I better be ready to wear the “sleep on the sofa” hat.
I’m sitting here sorting through my mind, rummaging through the closet, and I didn’t realize just how many hats I own. I’m wearing the Thinker hat right now.
Daddy to drill Sergeant. Handy-man to Confidant. There’s more in the closet of my soul than I knew.
When I hear news of all that is going on in the world I change hats depending on how good that news is, or how bad. Good news of some thing that God has done lets me wear the Party hat of celebration. Bad news of murder, rape, abortion or abuse; those things are like marching orders, so I don the Intercessors hat.
All this and more has crossed my mind in the hour that it has taken me to write it. I’m so used to “wake up and get busy” that it becomes a habit. A ready soldier prepared for the war on any level.
“Father, you got me up early. What’s on your mind and which hat do I wear? The home front one, or world wide?”
“Call me Abba. I’ll tend to your home front and the affairs of your world. You’re wearing yourself out. You worry too much. I wear many more hats than you ever imagined.” I can almost see His smile.
“Okay, well, why’d you get me up then?” I’m asking the question and at the same time reaching into my closet; I want to be quick to take the hat He has chosen for me at 3:15 in the morning, surely there is some pressing world event that requires the Intercessor hat. The world is wallowing in sorrow from sin, this is urgent, this is important.
“Which hat Abba? Tell me.”
“Just put the coffee on and relax, with Me, sufficient for tomorrow are those evils. We’ll cross that bridge when we come to it. Put that hat away. You do wear many hats, I know, but you’ve been busy; too busy. First this hat, then that one and the next one. Why did I wake you? Because the hat I want you to wear is the one that hangs for too long in your heart.”
His Son, my elder brother, Jesus Christ sits beside me in this recliner made for two and places on my weary, war torn mind the Helmet of Salvation He bought for me so long ago. At Calvary He wore a hat of thorns so I would never have to.
“You get so worried about others that you don’t rejoice. The things that burden you, burden me infinitely more. But, buddy, you need to take the time to rejoice. You worry too much. It’s wearing you out and quite honestly; the people you share the gospel with won’t listen. If you don’t take the time to rest in my love and rejoice in my salvation, well, who could blame them for turning a deaf ear? All you’re doing is making the good news look bad. They won’t believe there is any rest for them if you are tired all the time.”
“You woke me up to tell me to rest?”
“You know what I mean son; you know exactly what I mean. You need this rest and they need to see you resting. Two hours ago the only part of you that was getting any rest was your body.”
He reminds me of a similar conversation He had with Martha as she too rummaged around in her wardrobe for the right hat; Mary sat at His feet eavesdropping.
Now, truly now I lay me down to sleep; I’ve thanked the Lord, my soul He did keep,
If I should die before I wake: I praise His name, one hat I’ll take
Why bother with coffee when I can have a Night Cap like this?
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Don, you have such a great way of presenting things. Thanks! By the way, welcome to cold and flu season! I, along with nearly everyone else I know, can certainly sympathize with you, as far as your illness goes. I've been fighting it for over two weeks now myself--it seems to keep morphing into something else! Hope you feel better soon. Beth
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