Your Response to Love’s Invitation to Wake Up
I am not far from you. It is just hard to feel Me sometimes. I am everywhere. I am in everything. All things breathing, I have given life. But so many do not know this, and those who know forget.
It is okay that you sometimes forget.
Remember Me. Rediscover Me. Know Me.
And how? How will you remember Me? How will you rediscover Me? How will you know Me?
My love requires a response. It requires action, the rejection of complacency. Wake up now, daughter. You have been asleep. Wake up.
Deep breath now.
Are you comfortable? Find a place where you can be alone and quiet for a while.
Once you are there, in a comfortable and quiet place, remove everything you are holding. Open your hands. Breathe deeply for a few minutes, feeling your diaphragm fill up with air as you inhale the air in, and your lungs contract as you push the air out.
Consecrate your mind—everything you are thinking and feeling—to God now.
Father, I give you my thoughts. I give you my ideas. I give you this worry (name it) and this fear (name it). I bring my ideas under your authority. You are the one in control.
Keep your eyes closed for a few more moments.
Consecrate your imagination—and your heart—to God.
Lord, I give you my imagination. I give you my heart. I let go of my doubt and skepticism. I consecrate myself and ask that you guide me now in this time of prayer.
Next, spend a few moments with your eyes closed, being open to God. Ask Him to give you a visual of the two of you together, right now, in this moment, where you are now.
Lord, help me to see You. Help me to experience You.
Stay here for a few minutes. Relax. Deep within you exists a confidence, a knowing of who you are and how deeply you are loved by Him. Go to the deep place with Him.
If you like, get out your journal and use words or drawings to express your thoughts and feelings about your experience—what you saw and felt as you engaged with Him.
Next, read over the verses of Mark 5: 35-43.
“While Jesus was still speaking, some people came from the house of Jairus, the synagogue leader. “Your daughter is dead,” they said. “Why bother the teacher anymore?”
“Overhearing what they said, Jesus told him, `Don’t be afraid; just believe.’
“He did not let anyone follow him except Peter, James and John the brother of James. When they came to the home of the synagogue leader, Jesus saw a commotion, with people crying and wailing loudly. He went in and said to them, “Why all this commotion and wailing? The child is not dead but asleep.” But they laughed at him.
“After he put them all out, he took the child’s father and mother and the disciples who were with him, and went in where the child was. He took her by the hand and said to her, `Talitha koum!’ (which means `Little girl, I say to you, get up!’). Immediately the girl stood up and began to walk around (she was twelve years old). At this they were completely astonished. He gave strict orders not to let anyone know about this, and told them to give her something to eat.”
After you have read the verses once, read them again. Don’t try to figure out what is going on in the scene exactly—just let yourself feel the emotions of the moment. Also, invite your heart to pay particular attention to Jesus and the little girl.
Then, read the verses a third time—and this time, allow your imagination to put you in the place of the little girl. You are lying down, your eyes closed. Jesus has brought you back to life, and now you are sleeping. With your eyes still closed, you hear Jesus’ voice and begin to stir. “Little girl, I say to you, get up!” He says. And as you open your eyes, His face and eyes are the first things you see.
Continue to engage with God about this situation, writing out your experience with God in your journal:
Lord, in what capacity have I been sleeping? (Let your heart be open here, allowing yourself to engage with Him as you listen for His response.)
In what way is Jesus wanting to bring me to life? How is He invitng me to wake me up?
What did He say to you? And what is your response to Jesus’ invitation to you? What will you do now?
Stay in the room with Him. Trust Him to guide you deeper into His wisdom, His presence, and His love.
Amen.
