“Behold, He who keeps Israel shall neither slumber nor sleep. The Lord is your keeper; the Lord is your shade at your right hand. The sun shall not strike you by day, nor the moon by night.” Psalms 121:4-6, NKJV
Scrolling down the list of possible website pages on the computer screen, when I got to my website offering, in bold blue lettering this was the message: “Outside of normal business hours.” My first reaction was to be horrified given the purpose of my writing, which is to help comfort readers and lead them to the heart of the God of all comfort. Shocked, I immediately wanted to erase the words, then, I began to laugh out loud. The whole idea was so absurd and at the same time so true. I was outside normal business hours, my sleeping hours when my phone is turned off, the computer is shut down, and my conscious mind is non-existent.
With a gentle nudge, God’s Spirit quieted my knee-jerk reaction, reminding me of His promise found in Psalm 121. How relieved I am, and you may be too, that there is no “time clock” in heaven from which God, or His mighty angels punch out at quitting time. Around the clock, our Father is working all things “together for the good of those who love God and are called according to His purpose for them” (Romans 8:28, NLT). Whether in the morning, noonday, or in the middle of the night, God hears us, He listens to us, and He answers every praying heart.
Oh Lord, I do have “off hours” to sleep and regenerate this physical body, that often grows weary and needs rest. As part of the human condition, I have limited capacity to stay focused before my eyes and mind turn off. Thank you, God, for hearing always even the slightest whispered prayer. Amen.