Love In The Night Watches

"I remember You upon my bed, and meditate on You in the night watches." Psalm 63:6


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Saija brought up the night watches first. This is one of my favorite subjects.

There are many reasons we awaken at night, the reasons would make a book.

I believe sometimes it's God who awakens us and when we cannot return to our dreams we recall, "Oh yes! Perhaps God wants me to pray for someone." Then upon our pillow we pray until we sleep again, often awaking in the morning without even remembering those prayers.

And that's a Good Thing, even a God Thing.

Other times we awaken because God wishes to teach us something since He was unable to slow us down in our awake hours. Those were fast-paced and filled with the noise of tv, computers, people, traffic, errands --so our bed at 3 a.m. becomes the Quiet Place we missed and now, finally, He can whisper what we need to hear. 

And that, too, is a Good Thing, a God Thing.

But another Time, another Reason, the one I love best is this. It's when you awaken, in the silence, sometimes with moonlight warm upon your face, and you open your eyes wide because you sense Jesus is there again, sitting upon the edge of your bed. Smiling down upon you, He's taking a night watch and you're the one He's watching. 

Tonight it's your turn to know He is that close.

And you smile in the silver light and tell Him, "I wish I could see you." To which He replies, "Why do you need to see me if you know that I am here?"

And the room, even the corners, become full of His love, so much so, that you feel it heavy, like your grandma's old quilt upon you. So warm, tears drip from your eyes, happy ones whisking you away to dreams and morning light and a knowing smile when you awaken--

--and a sense of His presence all day long. All because of love in the night watches. All because of Him.


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