Help In The Time of Trouble

...I lay down and slept; I awoke, for the Lord sustained me." (Psalm 3:5)

The Word of God teaches us that Jesus once slept deeply on a boat that tossed and whirled on troubled waters of a stormy sea. We may not be sure of His level of exhaustion, but we are assured of His confidence and faith in God. He knew God would sustain Him in safety.

Some times I just want to sleep soundly. I average four hours of sleep daily. Some nights I work through without moments of closed eyes. Why? I do not have to live the pattern I choose. It is not mandated that I so work or sleep as I do. I decided that I want to live as I love, and love as I live. I love being awake and doing whatever it is that I do. I depend on God to see me through in my choices. What I know for sure is that God sustains me in all matters. Sleeping or waking, the Lord guides my life. I minister to people called United Methodists and all who will hear the Word of God as spoken in my life. And, I love it!

I am not alone it this ministry. In fact, when I do sleep beyond four hours any given day, I know that am supported by a team of potential ordained ministers. In our local church, there are seven known candidates for ordained ministry. I invite you to pray for them. They are: John Wood, Jay Williams, Victoria Gray Lewis, Maxxwell Magee, Richard Edme, Mryna Moore, Comfortbliss Ezeji, Ronald Topping, and the ordained Rev. Dr. Hae Young Park. Daily I pray for them to be sustained as they assist me in ministry.

Resting is a gift from God. Living in the state of awareness is a gift from God. Both, waking and sleeping, carries blessings from God that are for our enjoyment and sustaining. As disciples of Jesus Christ, we trust and hold fast in hope of God providing for our needs. In response to God, we refresh ourselves and work in harmony to care for the needs of people of God in accord with the will of our Lord.

Prayer: Dear God, ministers of the United Methodist Church are meeting with laity in annual conferences throughout the denomination. Bless us, so that we are indeed blessed; sustain us, so that we are sustained indeed. For we humbly depend on you for the means necessary to our being instruments of your means of grace in the world. In the likeness of Jesus, we are confident in you, and on you alone we depend. Amen.