Mattress Matrix

Last night was a restless night. The mattress just didn’t support very well and I remember the whole night was all about trying to find the “least” uncomfortable position on this make shift bed on the floor. After chatting till 3 am with ‘da folks’ whom we were visiting, I was really looking forward to some good sleep.

But immediately, the moment I laid down, I knew it was going to be a rough night ;

the support on the foam mattress was just "not there" no matter which position I tried ( and toss and turned did I try oh boy!). So this morning when I woke up, I could feel the terrible ache in my body… the muscles on neck, shoulders and back . . . a truly restless night.

I groaned and grunted my complains to Linda who was already getting up. I managed to turn and slid over to her side of the mattress and . .  it gave such lovely support to my tired body. 

Duh?

I sanked into it . . like an exhausted boxer enduring 15 rounds (4 hours ) against a squishy foam mattress. . . so grateful I didn’t even move a muscle after that..

(hmmmnnn ... must have been two different mattresses under the same sheet.. . and I j got “lucky” ).

As I laid in complete grateful motionlessness, I felt the muscles in my back began to unwind and altogether relax … finally. . after a long night of battling the mattress and just plain frustration .. aahh…heaven..

Motionless, and somewhere between awake and dreamland, I began to just thank God for who He is and worship Him. . .right on the mattress. ( I know I know this might offend some religious protocol ).

The mattress was sweet but the presence of God even sweeter. As I laid completely at rest in body and my thoughts on the goodness of our God, I began to sense waves of downloads of God’s love, and the spirit of God began to illuminate my soul.

Not sure how long I laid there but I began to sense with clarity the spirit of God impressing on me . . “ this is how I want you to relate with Me ” . . . without strife, without tension, and without struggle .. just as you are now, completely relaxed and at rest; and His word ministered ‘life’ to me.

In that state I became a ready and cooperative recipient of the downloads from heaven. My focus held steady as "life" (God’s love ) came. . . renewing, reviving refreshing me.

( how ironic. . the struggle only moments earlier….)

In a vineyard, all that is required of the branch is to remain in the vine. As it remains in the vine, nutrients are supplied through the vine and in the glow of the sun’s caressing rays, the branches produces fruit. I would imagine the best environment for fruit bearing is an environment that is strife free and worry free. In this state, it is most able to receive all that comes through the vine.

Jesus said He is the true vine* and we are the branches ; if we remain in him  we will bear fruit. We cannot bear fruit apart from Him.

The branch does not stress itself out by saying “oh I need to be taller here to receive the sunlight, o wait... I need more leaves over here to promote future growth/food, this part here I need to cut off, and this part here. . well, it needs to DIE so other areas can grow “

It does none of that introspective thinking . ..  instead its focus is to remain ‘transfix’ (connected)  totally unto the vine.

The Father who is the expert vinedresser/ gardener is the one with the expert skill of pruning and He is the One who will do all the pruning. Sometimes through what we hear; voices coming loudly at us, we might be tempted to use the shears on ourselves, but there is only One expert vinedresser and He knows what he’s doing.

I was refreshed and revived. I needed to hear that ( more than I realize ) and it came at just the right time. (Our Father knows best! )

btw.. when I finally got to my feet, I discovered there were not 2 mattresses under the sheet, but only one large one. Hmmn…how do you figure that?

Real or imagined, I was simply thankful for this timely revelation of God‘s ways and His love. We are to remain in Him, our focus not on ourselves but to fix our gaze on Him, AND allowing Him to pour the necessary ‘nutrients’ into our lives. . not fretful, but instead ‘rest-ing’ fully in Him.

He has put the seed in our hearts and He alone will cause it to grow.

Completely awesome our God!

 .. the same adternoon,  I was strolling about in the local departmental store. . pondering the previous night's experience and wondering how or  IF  I should pen all  this . . . I happened to look up and guess what I saw . . .. . a coincidence ?

Well, hope it blesses you!

The end

08 August 09

*John 15:2 the greek word ‘airo’ means lift up – see “Secrets of the Vine’ by Bruce Wilkinson (author of Prayer of Jabez)