Enlarge Your Tent
Have you ever woken up in the middle of the night and had a myriad of thoughts go through your brain? It happened to me last night. I woke and could not get back to sleep. Thoughts of everything happening in my life came thick and fast. Even desires, hopes, dreams of my life into the future came flooding in.
I did not feel worried but as if though I needed to think through all these things.
Why wake at 3.30am?
What did God want to say to me? This is the question I always go to now. I’ve learnt this long ago. This is how God often wants to speak to me. Wakes me up and gets me unable to go back to sleep, so out of bed I go.
In the Old Testament in 1 Samuel 3, God wanted to speak to Samuel and called His name. Samuel did not know at first what was happening and ran to Eli the priest. Even Eli did not know it was God who called him until the third time it happened. Then he told Samuel to lie there and call out, “Speak Lord, your servant is listening.”
And so, I too, said into the dark room, “Speak Lord, your servant is listening.”
What came upon my heart was a scripture God had placed within our Ministry a while ago.
2 Enlarge the place of your tent, [where you are right now, where you inhabit, work, live….] and let the curtains of your habitations be stretched out; spare not; [don’t scrimp nor save- push through] lengthen your cords and strengthen your stakes, [make your foundations stronger in the Lord.]
3 For you will spread abroad to the right hand and to the left; and your offspring will possess the nations and make the desolate cities to be inhabited.
Isaiah 54:2 AMPC
What does that all mean, was my next question?
The future is not always laid out before us. But we know that our future is in good hands. In amazing, capable hands. We can trust in Our God, who sees us, wishes to have relationship with us, wants to talk to us and give us direction and encouragement for and in our lives.
Jesus showed us how much He loved us by dying for all of us on the cross. There comes a time in our lives when God asks us to step up, to step up more – Like the call of Samuel. Jesus calls us in being a follower of Him to expand our Hearts, to Love Him and our fellow man more. To expand our “tents.” To be stretched to love, to share…….to lengthen our reach…..
We are very capable people; with God we are more than capable. When push comes to shove, as the saying goes, we are able to do, to be, way more than we can ever imagine. Especially with Our God.
How many people have stepped up to help all the refugees coming out of Ukraine? Have opened their doors far and wide to let the destitute in? How many people have given to the hungry and the homeless?
How many people have you welcomed into your home?
Where does God want you to expand in your career?
Are you loving that difficult neighbour?
Are you willing to be expanded, enlarged?
What is God asking of you?
May these jottings from my journal inspire you to believe in and fall in love with Christ- the hope of the world, as stated in Jeremiah 17:7, ‘Blessed is the man who believes and trusts in and relies on the Lord and whose hope and confident expectation is the Lord!’
Love
Rosemary
Every week groups of ladies meet together to chat about the things I raise in my weekly blog post and to chat about life in general. We call these ‘Heart Connect’ groups. If you would like more information please click HERE.
DISCUSSION QUESTIONS
How does God get your attention when He wants to speak to you?
Where is God asking you to expand or enlarge the tent in your life?
7 Comments
Lois blakemore
Thank you rosemary for another thought provoking lesson. From Lois blessing upon you
Zenda Bussack Lucas
Wow! Rosemary today you taught me something… When I woke up that early hours of the morning, I will ponder on what I have done and still have to do, and after that I will do a decade of the rosary and try to go back to sleep. It never came across me, that’s the time that God wants to speak to me . Thank you so much for this enlightenment. Actually all your and your hubby’s talks really make me grow in my faith and brought me closer to my Maker.
Valerie Lack
He sends me songs,which, are often not my favourite songs, in my sleep. Or dreams, which I simply do not understand, then spend hours trying to figure out.
Not sure about question 2. I think, after listening to Bruce today, that GOD is trying to wean me off milk, I think to my shame, he is having a hard time.
Gail de Oliveira
Hi Rosemary, thank you for sharing your thoughts about waking up in the night. I do this often. Sometimes I can go straight back to sleep and now I know that when I can’t, that something on my mind is exactly what God wants to talk to me about.
I look forward to reading your thoughts and ideas and I am often led to share them with others.
Best regards,
Gail
Valerie Simms
Rosemary there have been a number of times I feel tired I get to bed and can’t fall asleep. Some times I get out of bed and have prayed the Chaplet of Divine Mercy, as I had already prayed the Holy Rosary and the Mystery for that day with both you and Bruce, which is so beneficial!!! But there are other times when I ask the Lord is there anything He wants to speak to me about? Wants me to Know? Wants me to do? I bring my Bible with me and I often open to a page that is very relevant. Sometimes I search until a Scripture verse pops out at me, and at other times a Scripture verse will come to my mind or a passage or even a name in the Bible. Then I go seeking more deeply into what the Lord is trying to tell me through the Scriptures, reflect and many a time I thank Him for His Word He has spoken to me in my heart!!! Then it’s so surprising how easier it is for me to fall asleep!!! It is reassuring Rosemary and ladies, that I’m not the only one that the Lord speaks to so early in the morning!!! Thank You Lord!!! Thank you Rosemary!!!
Sbreiding
My first Rosemary Blog. And its the middle of the night! Thank You. I love your short explanation of the passages you use. They are extremely helpful as i learn how to truly understand the Word.
Jeanie Bartholomew
Thank you Rosemary, your devotional today is so very helpful, now I will listen to God speaking to me when I wke up at 3am.
Love, and regards,
Jean