Taking Advantage of the Night Seasons

Seeking the Lord at Night

Before going to bed, simply ask Him to visit you: “Lord, if You want to speak with me tonight, that would be alright with me.” Or, “Lord, don’t let me miss You if You want to come for a visit tonight.” So we’re not talking some specific language that will get Him to come to us, but rather an attitude toward acknowledging His value and being receptive to His visits. This takes discipline, though. You can’t stay up late into the night, then go to bed with all the cares and worries of the day swirling around in your mind, and then expect to be able to stay up with the Lord! Put Him first by dealing with those things that need to be dealt with in a timely manner during the day, so that when He comes for you, you will be attentive.

Getting Up on Your Own

If you are really interested in speeding up the development of your soulical senses and experiencing greater dependence and intimacy on the Lord, schedule a time to wake up on your own in the middle of the night simply to spend time keeping Him company. Set your alarm clock for a time that is about the middle of your designated sleep time; this will mean that you will have had enough sleep so that you can stay up with the Lord without falling asleep, yet enough time afterward so that you can get some sleep for the rest of the day. Get yourself fully awake (that means getting out of bed, sticking your head under the faucet, whatever), then just sit with Him in your Waiting Room (a chair in your bedroom, for instance). Acknowledge His Presence (remember He is always present), and just listen. As in all the above cases, don’t expect that you will see an instantaneous or reciprocal response from the Lord. But there is a guarantee that those who seek, and keep on seeking, find, and that for those who knock, and keep on knocking, the door will be opened. Let the Lord respond as He chooses; you just make yourself available.