“Did you see or hear that rain storm that passed through about five o’clock this morning?” Stan asked.
“No,” I replied, “I was still asleep, but I did see the rain puddles on the way here.”
“Yeah,” Stan said, “lots of rain puddles. There actually was another shower just as I parked the car and was walking here. I saw some children having a great time jumping in the puddles and singing that Mother Goose rhyme about it raining and pouring.”
“And the old man is snoring,” I added. “Kind of like me when I was asleep during the rain storm earlier this morning!”
“Kind of like a lot of us when we sleep through God’s pouring out,” Stan responded. “At least for me, way too often!”
“God’s pouring out,” I repeated. “What does God pour out that I might be sleeping through?”
“Big subject,” Stan replied. “One that is at the heart of Christianity, what it means to be a Christian, and everything that is involved in our relationship with God. But in a nutshell I think it’s what discipleship is all about.”
“A rainstorm, a nursery rhyme, and discipleship,” I said. “How do you tie those together?”
“It seems to me,” Stan replied, “that everything about my faith walk, everything to do with discipleship, revolves around seeing who God is, what He has done, what He is doing, and what He wants to do in and through me. And that all concerns His pouring out.”
“And,” he continued, “it’s too easy for me to sleep rather than be involved with what God has for me to be and do in being a disciple.”
“Let me see if I get this,” I replied. “The first step of discipleship, that of denying self, would be like not sleeping through what God has for me. The second step, of taking up what God has for me to take up, would be like waking up to what he has for me.”
“You got it, my friend,” Stan said. “And the third step is following Him wherever, however, and whenever He wants.”
“Even during a rainstorm?” I asked.
“Even during, and maybe especially in, a rainstorm,” he replied.
_____________________________________
Bible verses to consider:
“Drip down, O heavens, from above, and let the clouds pour down righteousness; let the earth open up and salvation bear fruit, and righteousness spring up with it. I the Lord, have created it.” Isaiah 45:8.
And it will come about after this that I will pour out My Spirit on all mankind; and your sons and daughters will prophesy, and old men will dream dreams, your young men will see visions. And even on the male and female servants I will pour out My Spirit in those days. Joel 2:28. (Repeated by the apostle Peter in Acts 2:15-17.)
And when He (Jesus) rose from prayer, He came to His disciples and found them sleeping from sorrow, and He said to them, “Why are you sleeping? Rise and pray that you may not enter into temptation.” Luke 22:45-46.
Prayer: Thank you, Father, that you have poured out all that you have for me. You gave your only Son to provide the way for me to have life eternally with you when it’s time, and you have provided the way for me to know you and Jesus in an ever-deepening personal relationship before then. You have poured out your Spirit on me and on all who believe. I confess that too often I sleep though what you have poured out, what you have for me to be and to do. I sleep because I choose to not be awake to you. Please forgive me of that foolishness. And please help me in following every step of your lead so I accept, receive, and embrace all you have poured out for me as well as all you keep pouring out. Thank you I can and do bring these prayers before you in the name of Jesus. Amen.
Think on this: Have you accepted all that God has poured out for you, both in terms of life eternally with Him when it’s time and in terms of pursuing the eternal life of knowing Him and Jesus on this side of eternity? If you sense changes are needed in waking up to all that God has for you, how is that going to happen? Is that what you want? Why or why not?
Waiting for the Train 