Bedtime Dialogue [1]
(Hold On)
So give yourselves humbly to God.
Resist the devil and he will flee from you.
And when you draw close to God,
God will draw close to you.
James 4:7-8 (TLB)
(Good) Ahhhh. Bed at last! A haven. A refuge. This has been one bad day. But I’m here now in my hiding place. You brought me through again, Lord. Now I want to just be quiet and talk to You. Thank You for everything You’ve done today. How I thank You and praise You.
(Bad) But when I wake up it will be tomorrow! Nothing will have changed. It’s going to be the same story’second verse’could be better but it will probably be worse. I dread getting up. I’m tired before it starts . . ..
(Good) Hold on! I don’t need to think about that now. I trust Him for tomorrow and He will bring me through’just like He did today. So, let’s see'”The Lord Himself is my inheritance, my prize. He is my food and drink, my highest joy!” But what comes next? How could I possibly forget Psalm l6? I need to look over my memory verses.
(Bad) Oh, my time is so limited. I go from one “I’ve got to do this now” to the other. I just don’t have the time to study my Bible. But, if it were important enough to me, I would find the time.
(Good) Hold on! I don’t need to think things like that now. No. I’ll just think about all I can praise the Lord for. Let me see’I think every body in the family is holding up pretty well considering the economy and instability of every thing. Thank You, Lord. That is really something I praise You for. All is well in my little world.
(Bad) Who am I kidding? This world is going down like the Titanic and our kids and grandkids are the ones who are going to have to live in it. What does their future hold?
(Good) Hold on! I don’t need to think about that now! He brought me through today and He will do the same for me tomorrow and the next day and He loves my kids and their kids more than I do! What is that song that I love so much? “Lord I worship You for Who You are and all that You have done, You are the only One true living God above You there is none.” [2] Lord, I do thank You and praise You. I thank You and praise You. I thank youuuuuu . . .. (Sleep finally comes.)
Do you ever experience anything like this? Oh, not every night, but after one of those “terrible, horrible, no-good, very bad days”? You’re really too tired to remember your favorite verses and your mind has been inundated with stressful things most of the day, so Satan hits with full fury and the BAD thoughts come quietly, quickly, and destructively. He gives you those bad thoughts. Do you know that? He talks to you.
What am I to do? Think . . ..
(Good) Just Who is in control?
(Bad) Well if God is in control I’d hate to see . . ..
(Good) Hold on! I refuse to listen to your thoughts, you evil, sadistic liar! Shut your mouth! Just who is going to meet tomorrow? Certainly not me! God never expected me to face my tomorrows. Jesus lives in me to meet every day for me!
God, I know that You love me, that You are with me every second of the day, that You are my Strength, my Hope, my Love, my very Life! What would I do without You? Who would I talk to if You were not there for me? Who would be willing to listen so attentively and lovingly? Who is’right this very moment’holding my hand and Who blotted up the tears that came today and put them in a bottle with my name on it? You are so kind. You are so thoughtful. You are so wonderful! So very wonderful! You are with me. You are with me.
“Lord I worship You, Lord I worship You,
With all my heart and mind and soul I worship You.
There’s nothing I would rather do than lift my voice in praise to You.
Now and forever more, dear Lord, I worship You.” [3]
Resist the devil and he will flee from you.
And when you draw close to God,
God will draw close to you.
Selah [4]
[1] Dialogue: Interchange of ideas by open discussion
[2] Only to Him: Brooklyn Tabernacle Singers
[3] Only to Him: Brooklyn Tabernacle Singers
[4] A quiet interlude