Dear Reader,
A mere 2 hours after my last letter to you was delivered 2 weeks ago, I found myself seriously sick. To be frank, I was feeling quite out of myself and I was freaking out those first few hours. I spent those initial hours in prayer, managed to drag myself home from work, and promptly went to bed (but not before taking the communion!). The next 2 days (and well into the weekend) were rather crappy as I spent all the time in bed. Truly, the Lord protected and preserved me, and for that, I am grateful.
Due to those days spent in bed, however, I missed many important days of school and work. As a result, I find myself up yet again at 3:08am EDT, scrambling to write this letter to you because apparently HS (i.e., the Holy Spirit as I like to call Him) won’t let me sleep until I do so. Well, this will be quick I hope.
I listen to the NLT Audio Bible or a Christian podcast for 15 minutes before bed almost every night. I have been listening to the Book of Acts over the last couple of nights, and as I slipped into bed (this morning), I started from chapter 7 where I left off. This is arguably my favorite chapter in the entire book. I am always amazed at how our dear brother Stephen literally summarized the Bible. Each time I listen to that part, I’m like, this guy really studied the Word. The something was a part of him and it just gives me goosebumps.
As I listened to the chapter, I murmured the most familiar parts to myself and quickly waited for sleep to come — but sleep speedily slipped away and the summary of Moses’ era eventually came up, where Brother Stephen made mention of the Israelites building a calf to worship while Moses was on Mount Sinai. When I studied Exodus 32 a few weeks back and I got to this point, the Lord taught me a few things but what He said to me tonight truly shook me.
As I wondered, yet again, how the Israelites could move on so quickly, the Holy Spirit said to me, “God can be in a place and you won’t know because you have not bothered to seek Him”. I said “ha?”. Okay, maybe not literally — but my mind was blown! My mind was blown not because this statement is some major and new revelation — ‘cause let’s be honest, we know this — but because, the picture painted in that moment was so vivid.
While God’s Presence hovered right over the mountain they surrounded, they missed Him. They missed Him because instead of seeking Him, they sought the man who revealed a dimension of Him to them. And when they could not find that man, they resorted to building another image to replace the man who once led them into supernatural realties. How easy it is for man to replace God when our eyes were never on Him in the first place.
I share with you my 3am light bulb moment to challenge you to keep your head up and your eyes on God. So much is happening and it is easy for you to miss God in this season the moment you look below the mountain for the man who once showed you Him. I know life is life-ing — but if you could just keep your head up, I promise you will find Him. While He may not appear to you with the shaking of the mountain, He is seated right at the top of it looking down and waiting for you to look up to Him. You cannot afford to miss His Presence, Reader — keep your head up, lest you get distracted.
Until we chat again, friend, be light!
Editor Sena: Barely edited. I need to sleep, I beg... It's 3:58am EDT😓