Jesus calling

I woke up before the crack of dawn as usual, this morning, but was too tired to want to get out of bed.  I laid there, inwardly grunting because I would rather sleep today.  But I felt God inviting me to please get up and meet with Him.

My first response to Him was, "Why?  Because something awful is going to happen and I will need to prepare by meeting with you?"

In my defense, I have experienced many awful things and having spent that time in God's presence, I had the faith to rest in the promise that He was still in control.

I didn't get any impression that He was preparing me for awful things.  So I tried again:  "Then what is it?  Are you preparing good things for me and you don't want me to mess them up?"  Again, spending time, regularly, in God's presence is my assurance that I will have the wisdom to avoid doing stupid things.  It's not always a guarantee because I'm painfully ignorant sometimes and quite prone to making mistakes, but at least I'm making an effort to avoid the stupidity and I know Jesus is understanding and gentle with me.

But again, I heard only silence.

Then, after a moment, a quiet, gentle voice in my heart spoke and said, Why can't it just be that I want to be with you?  

That kind of hit me in the gut and I got out of bed.

And now as I write this, I remember the song Softly and Tenderly.  It's a call for sinners to accept Jesus but it's also a call for children to answer to their Father.

I will just write out a couple of the verses and call it a day, as far as my blog is concerned.

Softly and tenderly Jesus is calling,

Calling for you and for me;

See, on the portals He's waiting and watching,

Watching for you and for me.

Why should we tarry when Jesus is pleading,

Pleading for you and for me?

Why should we linger and heed not His mercies, 

Mercies for you and for me?

Oh, for the wonderful love He has promised,

Promised for you and for me!