How God Wakes Us (Leighton)

How do we begin to come to attention to a God who is there?

Is there a formula, or a set of instructions?

None I am sure that work just right for everyone.

I suppose it is more like waking from sleep or, even more, awakening to love.

What is it like when I wake up in the morning? I am not aware that my subconscious is saying “Wake up, wake up!”.

Unless an alarm is ringing there is usually just the realization: “Sleep is over. I am now awake”. It just comes, and my eyes open to the new day.

Falling in love is very much the same. We don’t plan Today I will fall in love.

We see, we meet, we talk, we listen – we see someone else and we begin to love and hopefully their love aligns with ours!

So we begin the day with a yawn and a stretch. And we begin a love with a few stammering words. In both instance the question becomes: What do I see?

Someone suggested to me that as God knows what we really love, he uses those loves to awaken us.

How about you?

What is the first place or person or object you remember loving?

What or whom do you love most dearly today?

How has God used, how is God using these loves to wake you up to His love?

Leighton Ford

Adapted from The Attentive Life (InterVarsity Press, 2008)