29th July

For God does speak - now one way, now another - though man may not perceive it. In a dream, in a vision of the night, when deep sleep falls on men as they slumber in their beds, he may speak in their ears and terrify them with warnings. Job 33, 14 - 16

Samuel says to Saul: "Stay here a while, so that I may give you a message from God." 1 Samuel 9, 27

Kings who could not sleep

"That night the king could not sleep" (Esther 6, 1). What was the reason of his sleeplessness? Everything seemed to be well for the king of Persia. To amuse himself the king ordered the book of the chronicles to be brought and read to him. King Xerxes ignored the foul conspiracy against Mordecai, however, God watches over his children. In these books it was found that Mordecai, the Jew, had saved the king's life and never been rewarded for that. So the king ordered that Mordecai should be honoured and Haman hanged on the gallows which Haman had erected for Mordecai.

Another episode: King Darius was restless: Daniel, the high civil servant, who Darius wanted to set over the whole kingdom had just been thrown into the lions' den. Darius was sad, went back to his palace and he could not sleep (Daniel 6, 18). God wanted to speak to him and he listened to God.

If sometimes we cannot sleep at night, let us listen. Maybe we will hear God's voice. When he wants to talk to us he often uses moments of inactivity and silence. First of all he talks to our conscience: "Repent; confess your sins!" Then he speaks to our heart: "I forgive you; I gave my Son Jesus Christ for you."