We have all had it happen. You take up a position that cuts off the blood flow to a part of your body and it goes numb. We call it “going to sleep.” It happened to me last night with my hand. I slept in the wrong position and my hand became numb. Once I changed my position, the blood started flowing, the numbness left, and my feeling returned.
There is a spiritual parallel to a natural numbing. Many have taken positions contrary to the heart of God on a variety of issues regarding their faith and life. This can happen over time because of peer pressure, wrong teaching, or allowing the spirit of the age to infiltrate their thinking and construct worldviews apart from God’s Word.
Over time, parts of the body of Christ have now gone to sleep. They have become numb to the truth in the slumber of deception. Only by allowing God to change their position, not pressure from the very same issues that caused the problem in the first place, can they begin to feel truth once again. This change cannot take place by force. It is a cooperative work of God’s Spirit and human will. Once this change happens, the blood of Christ will begin to course through their minds resurrecting their thinking to new life.
A holy discomfort is coming to the Church. The Lord will awaken people from their slumber to realize an uncomfortable numbness. Even those written off as beyond hope by angry and disgusted believers will come alive in their faith. They will awaken when the blood of Christ begins to flow into the compromised areas of their lives to invigorate their faith and thinking.
Be one who is willing to go to those coming alive, not with an “I told you so” attitude, but with a heart of mercy. Someday when a part of your spiritual life goes to sleep, you will need and welcome advocates of mercy who will celebrate your awakening.
So timely with my current thinking on a particular issue that I am dealing with (i.e. my faith in an area where I need personal favor of God) and also for our nation as a whole. I am reminded again about 2 Chronicles 7:14 “IF” my people, who are “called by My name” will “humble themselves” and then pray and “seek my face” and turn from wicked ways, then I “hear from heaven” and forgive their sins and heal their lands. 14:15 Now my eyes will be open and my ears attentive to prayers offered in this place.
So wonderful Papa, may you, when we do the things you say in 7:14, may you heal our lands, hearts and may our prayers in humility heal our lands, where we live, in our local and then country’s church. Papa, our hope is your church will rise up from the ashes and be known for Your Glory. Again, thanks for a timely word of encouragement brother.