Recent events had prompted Jack to review his role as a watchman. He does not want to fool himself into thinking that he is especially righteous or holy so he qualifies as one. He knows he is not yet the spiritual man he has strived to become. When he first started this journey of living in the Holy Spirit, he only wanted to know God more and follow Jesus by faith (in the Spirit). However, something happened on the way and he encountered events which he has never had a clue previously in his natural man. The spiritual realm has been revealed to him gradually as if he was watching a never ending movie that has no fixed plot.
After a dry eventless season, he recently encountered intensive working of the Holy Spirit in him. One night he was sleepless for four hours during which he saw nine visions! He knew they were visions as he was not dreaming. Another day he even saw two visions in broad daylight! Most recently he was led to wake up after only one and half hours of sleep. He was not allowed to continue his sleep although he was reluctant to get up from his comfortable bed. Then he saw a vision. The vision conveyed a sense of urgency and he had no choice but to jump out of his bed at 1.30am.
When he sat down at the kitchen table he opened his Bible to see if he could have a confirmation of the vision. What he read was exactly what he saw! He realized that he had seen part of the army scene described in the book of Joel chapter two! When he came to verse 17 he knew he was asked to intercede. So he interceded in accordance with the verse which commands: “Let the priests, who minister before the Lord, weep between the temple porch and the altar. Let them say, ‘Spare your people, o Lord, do not make your inheritance an object of scorn, a byword among the nations. Why should they say among the peoples, ‘where is their God?’”
He was tired and sleepy but he persisted (knowing that he was asked to stand in the gap for the priests as well as they were sleeping), “Spare your people, o Lord!” After he had prayed these words sometime he was led to pray for his own nephew, a lost sheep somewhere. So he interceded for the poor young man. Unlike what he thought at first, although he had completed his “watchman assignment’ for that occasion, he did not feel in a hurry to return to bed. Instead, he continued to worship and sing hymns. He was also led to intercede for a number of other matters (mostly for people) and read the Bible at intervals. By the time he knew the time with God was over that morning, it was already 3.30am. He had only four hours of sleep after that but he felt well and refreshed that day!
What are the qualifications of a watchman? He concluded that all a watchman needs is to be ready when called for an assignment. So far, all he did was to seek God, be thirsty for God’s presence and His words, be sensitive to the Holy Spirit and heeded His calls. There was no other requirement on him. There is nothing special about him. He believes that a lot of others like him are quietly responding to the calls of the Holy Spirit and intercede as required. Is it an exciting life? Yes! He feels happy and honored, as the almighty God cares to be present and listen to a man’s prayers.
Notwithstanding the odd hours he has to get up at times, he would not trade these with any other events. No words can describe the joy one feels in the presence of the holy, majestic, all powerful yet caring God!
2010-01-22
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