Power of Questioning

I listened to the rain for hours last night, wondering if the ice was finally melting from our roof and would we lose power? My arms aching and the inability to sleep on my side kept me awake for the second night in a row. I've been in and out for weeks with this shoulder issue. These stretches of insomnia provide opportunities to listen to hours of podcasts, preaching and pondered prayers in my head. Last night I gave up and got up. 

 Asking ourselves questions may lead to a knowing we have need of.

Several questions have been on my heart this week, stemming from various sources. 

Why do I follow Jesus?

What do I want from Him?

What does He want from me?

Why do I follow Jesus?

In John 6,  Jesus gave the answer to this question to the crowd surrounding Him. 

You follow Me for what I can give you.  In so many words. 

They would fit right in with todays crowds. 

"Give me what I want."

Loud voices demanding attention fill our media and our heads, if we aren't careful.

Is that what I'm saying to Jesus these days? Is my loud cry for answers drowning out my heart? I hope not.

I follow Jesus because He is my Constant. Even on the days, I thought He'd abandoned me, some part of me knew it couldn't be true. He knows my heart, my loves and hates, my strengths and weaknesses; nevertheless, He remains constant. 

What do I want from Him?

I will write my answers to this question in my journal, perhaps a post for another day. While I do, maybe you should put pen to paper personally.

What does He want from me?

My answers look like:

everything, total surrender, faith.

But I love God's own answer from Micah 6:8 NLT

"This is what He requires of you: 

to do what is right, to love mercy, and to walk humbly with your God."

Now there's a passage to memorize and meditate in my wakeful hours.

I may be losing sleep but I am gaining something more precious.