Prayers in the Night

Sometimes being awaken in the middle of the night might be about the spicy pizza eaten too close to getting into bed, or it might be about a troubling phone call which took away the evening's peace, or maybe, just maybe, it might be about God saying, "It's time to pray.  Get up."  This nocturnal call to prayer may not even have a specific name.  It may have nothing to do with seeking relief from the spicy food, or the phone call which we wish we had not answered.  The need may not be definable, but it does not matter.  

If God is waking us up to pray, something important is afoot.  In such middle of the night moments the most important thing is to get up and sit in the silence the night affords us.  It is not a. moment for rushing into prayer as usual.  It is for most of us an unusual moment and unusual moments require unusual praying.  We may sit in silence and ask God to reveal to us how He wants us to pray and He may, and then again, He may not. Do not be surprised if it is more of a moment when revelation is slowly unfolding rather than something which comes like a powerful wind.   

The important thing in these middle of the night encounters with the will of God is being present.  Being there.  Sitting quietly.  Listening.  Staying until the moment of release comes.  Even as we knew it was time to start praying, He will let us know when the praying is finished.  We may make our way back to bed after the moment of release having prayed little more than "Father, Thy will be done," and if so, we have done all that obedience to God asks of us.  The important thing for us and the Kingdom is that we have done it.