Middle of the Night Stillness

In the middle of the night the voices of the home are silent.  All that is left is the steady humming noises of some appliance that has a life of its own and the ever shining digital lighting.  The insulated walls of the house keep the night time sounds of the creation on the outside and away from ears that might hear.  At times the quietness and the stillness within is broken by the noise of wind rattling windows, the spattering of rain on the roof, or the distant hoot owl as it conducts its nocturnal searching.  

If we are able to get beyond being awake when our body says we should be sleeping,  we may be able to hear the voice of the Holy One who gently speaks in the inner stillness.  For even as the interior of the house is still so is the interior space in our spirit. The middle of the night hours have a way of pushing away the distractions of the day so that our sub conscious mind opens the door to the inner space which seems to have no voice in the heat and brightness of the day.  It is no wonder that the Psalmist wrote of meditating on the things of God during the night.  (Psalm 63:6)  

When sleep is elusive it may be God's way of bringing us into a moment of sensing His presence, or hearing His voice, or knowing an invitation to enter into the work of intercession for the Kingdom.  There is value in sitting expectantly for a few minutes in the silence to which He has awakened us.  Instead of fussing with ourselves about not sleeping, maybe we should pray the prayer of young Samuel, "Speak, Lord, your servant is listening."  (I Samuel 3:10)