Day 10: The Dawn

Posted by Dustan Stanley on Mar 24, 2010 in Blog | 1 comment

Mark 1
³⁵ Before daybreak the next morning, Jesus got up and went out to an isolated place to pray. ³⁶ Later Simon and the others went out to find him. ³⁷ When they found him, they said, “Everyone is looking for you.”

This morning I woke just before Rosey Fingered Dawn etched her name across the sky. Her master, my Father and your Father, was beckoning me.

“Come away with me.” I complied. Last night I forced my body to obey me and went to bed a few hours earlier. I will not be a night-owl, the days are growing short and thus their value is increasing like the rare jewels that they are. Tomorrow is too important to sleep any more than what is healthy.

I sat on the couch and watched the light grow inside the fog of the Mississippi morning and I thought about Jesus rising early to pray.

“Good morning Lord,” I said, “it’s nice to be here where there’s no noise.”

The birds chirped. The clock tocked. The light slip through the open curtains and lit up the room just enough.

This was easy. Nor formula. Nothing. I just sat on the couch, honored God as God, then talked to Him like the Friend and Father that he is.

“Ya know, I don’t know which direction I should go about submitting my book.”

A peace filled my heart about one particular method. When I thought about the other the peace tightened up like a man bracing for a blow.

“Oh ok, and what about these money issues. What should I do here? I’m working hard everyday, doing my part. I know you will and have supplied all of my needs according to your riches in Glory through Christ Jesus. Please give me wisdom as you have promised you would.”

A new thought came into my heart and finally reached my head. I just needed to communicate to our awesome partners in a certain way. There were some people who want to be involved, but like the rest of us, are trying to be sure they are hearing from the Lord.

“Wow Lord, this is nice. Such clear communication. No distractions. I love this straight answer stuff. So…” I grinned. “How do I get ten million dollars?”

I almost thought I heard a chuckle.

Honestly I wonder how many times in my life I have struggled and struggled to make something work when all I needed to do was pull away while my mind was empty of the days worries and seek the Lord. These days, it seems I can’t make any big decisions without praying about it. Sometimes I feel it’s up to me to decide. Other times, I feel the Lord drawing me in a certain direction. Regardless, I have to bring it before Him because my little brain does not know enough on it’s on. As a friend of mine (Pastor Joel Simms – Word of Life – Jackson, MS) says: “There are some decisions that you will never have enough information to make.” That’s true. This world is full or variables. Better ask someone who knows the value of each. We need is grace and empowerment to carry us. On our own the castles we build crumble.

After a few minutes the room was lit and I heard my beautiful bride stirring in our bedroom.

“Lord, I love you. Thank you for waking me,” I whispered. “You know what; I want to be like Jesus. Just like Jesus. Loving people with all I have, leaving everything for the sake of the suffering and lost. I want to take up for the oppressed and lay down my life for those who are helpless are their own. I want to get my strength to do so from You Father.”

You know, I’ve never once heard an audible voice (except one time when i was six asleep – could have been a dream. Who knows.) from the Lord. But he speaks none the less. Our minds are fickle and must be reprogrammed by the word, but when in prayer, we can trust to be led by the Spirit of God in our deepest part of who we are. The real us; our Spirit.

Like me, why don’t you pull away and ask god some hard questions. Then relax. Chill. Don’t stress yourself out thinking so hard. Take a few deep breaths and meditate on how much God loves you and wants to lead you. Then, in your heart, not with your ears, LISTEN. Something new my dawn inside of your heart that will change your life forever.

Here’s a GREAT book on the subject. But a $0.01 cent used copy. It will help.