Half - Awake or Half - Asleep

One interesting thing that I have discovered since beginning Seminary is that wherever there are Korean Christians there are Early Morning Prayer Meetings. Some subscribe more to the schedule of John Wesley, the forefather of the Methodist tradition, and begin at 4:30 or so each morning. I consider it all blessing that at Asbury Seminary the Early Morning Prayer Meeting begins at 6am Monday - Friday.

I began attending this past fall in order to help myself to further develop a regular daily prayer, reflection and quiet time...generally I would just be sleeping at 6am otherwise.

Often times I confess that I was only half awake as I walked from the dorm, joined in singing a Korean Hymn and attempted to draw from the daily Scripture passage and sermon, typically preached in Korean.

This past week, however, a married couple shared the preaching portion of the services. The wife is Korean and the husband a retired American military chaplain. This provided the added blessing that three mornings the sermon was shared in English.

I was unexpectedly asked by the worship leader to pray aloud for the service, message and preacher following the congregational prayer. As I was preparing to speak I realized that I was not only Half - Awake, but as well Half - Asleep. I was suddenly confronted with the idea that while giving less than my full attention, I was also less available to receive what God was speaking to me, even in those early morning hours. It is difficult to speak to the Creator of the new day and to speak on behalf of the Holy Spirit when one is not awakened and prepared with ones' own Spiritual ears.

An older church member, who has attended church for decades and held a range of responsibilities from choir member to Sunday School teacher, recently shared with me that she doesn't think God talks to her, or at least not very often until during this past year or so.

One of the big news stories as of late has been the transition from Analog to High Definition broadcasting for televisions. The tag line has repeatedly been 'Are you ready'. This has drawn me to consider, as God speaks to me daily in Heavenly Definition am I ready to receive the signal or am I still receiving only with Amylog capabilities; am I Half - Awake to my surroundings or Half - Asleep to what God, through study of the scripture, prayer and the Holy Spirit would speak to me today?

Are you ready?