By Davalynn Spencer @davalynnspencer
When you wake up in the early predawn, what do you do?
If you leave for work at that time of day/night, then I already know what you do and my heart goes out to you.
But if you typically rise at a more humane hour, what do you do if you pop awake at 2 or 3 or 4 a.m.? Do you rehash the day behind you, practice the day ahead, or mentally rearrange the furniture in your living room?
Do you get up and eat a bowl of oatmeal or half a package of cookies?
Or do you see what’s on television or scroll through social media on your phone?
Sleeplessness is an ancient and unwelcome nighttime visitor, but what do you do if it calls on you?
In the Old Testament we read the story of a young boy who keeps waking up thinking that his master, an old priest, is calling him.
Three times the boy goes to the priest saying, “Here I am, what do you want?”
Three times the old priest says, “I didn’t call you, go back to bed.” But the third time the man realizes that God is speaking to the boy, so he tells him, “If it happens again, say, ‘Speak Lord, your servant is listening’.”
It does happen again. The boy obeys, and God tells him troubling news about the old priest’s family. You can read the account in 1 Samuel 3:1-18.
I’ve heard it said that God does indeed sometimes wake us in the night or early morning because that’s when we can hear Him. The world isn’t accosting us with its distractions and noise. However, how many times do we toss and turn or fret and worry about circumstances in our life? What might happen if we simply listened—not to the worries and fear, but to Him?
What if we said, “Speak Lord, Your servant is listening”?
Do our children or grandchildren talk to us if they know we don’t really listen?
Does our spouse talk to us if they know we’re too preoccupied to hear what they have to say?
Would God speak to us if we’re not paying attention?
What if He has comfort or direction for us? What if He wants us to pray for someone else in those quiet hours before dawn? What it we waited for Him to whisper a name or give us an impression?
Scripture is full of the admonition to listen.
God the Father says, “Be still, and know that I am God” (Psalm 46:10).
Jesus says, “My sheep hear my voice …” (John 10:27).
James says, “Be swift to hear …” (James 1:19).
In this new year, let’s cultivate a habit of listening. We may be surprised by what we hear.
~
Speak Lord ... Share on X
“Tell me, dear,” said Dorrie, “what do you think of Dan?”
Grace laid the brush on the dressing table and divided the woman’s hair into three sections, none too surprised that Dorrie had turned the tables on her again, as if she knew the inner workings of Grace’s mind.
“That’s hard to answer.”
Dorrie watched her in the mirror, seeing more than most, but wisely waiting, listening.
“I fear I’ve ridden a teeter-totter in that man’s presence,” Grace admitted. “One minute I don’t trust him, the next I want to know what he thinks and feels. He infuriates me too. Did you know he refused to tell me about the moving picture company looking for a woman stunt rider?”
Unsure how Dorrie would respond, Grace gave her a moment to comment while loosely braiding her hair.
Dorrie merely seamed her lips.
“How dare he not tell me,” Grace fumed, “as if he was in charge of my life!”
Dorrie pulled the finished braid over her shoulder. “How dare he care.” ~Covering Grace
Inspirational Western Romance – where the hero is heroic.
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(c) 2025 Davalynn Spencer, all rights reserved.
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