It’s 5:30 in the morning; I’ve been up since 4:30. What gives?

I had one of those nights where you continue to have the same dream replay itself over and over. You know the type, you feel like you’ve been working all night long and you’re glad to wake up so you can rest. Stupid dream, nonsensical, but it kept me tossing and turning all night long.

I finally called it quits and got up at 4:30. I knew that my getting up wasn’t just because of the dreams — I was being called; “Joe, get up, I want to talk to you!”

Ever have that happen to you? If you haven’t, you haven’t been paying attention. I can guarantee you that you’ve been called to get up and talk, or listen. It can be a bit disconcerting; it can be lifechanging.

I’ve been fretting. Know what “fretting” is? Some folks would call it worrying. It’s not, but it could look like that. You might think it is fear, and in some ways it is, but it isn’t just being afraid. Its an annoyance or discontent, a gnawing or agitation. The dictionary says that it can mean “to form or make by wearing away a substance.” kind of like erosion or corrosion. An example might be “the river frets at its banks until a new channel is formed,” or “the river had fretted an underground passage.” “Strong winds were fretting the channel” or “acid frets at the strongest metal” would also work.

“Strong winds” have been “fretting my channel;” I’ve been being worn down and it showed up in my dreams last night. God decided it was time that he and I had a chat about all the fretting that’s been going on. So, he got me up at 4:30.

He set me straight. He didn’t take me to the woodshed or beat me up. He just simply let me know that he’s got me covered. “What’s the big deal, Joe?” “Think I’m not up to the task?” (I hate it when he does that!) “Of course you’re up to the task! You’re God, for heaven’s sake!”

God loves comedy. He invented it. And I must give him hours of comic relief. I’m like the puppet who says all the stupid things, the Costello of Abbott and Costello, the Lewis of Martin and Lewis, the Mr. Greenjeans of Captain Kangaroo fame (I wish I could be as smart of Bunny Rabbit). I  can just see the Lord getting so tickled by what I say that he can’t even talk because he’s laughing so hard (he probably tries not to since it might seem that he’s being rude and laughing “at” me, but I’m sure that as I continue to blabber away it gets out of control and he loses it; he probably gets a big snicker as he mentions it to Mike and Gab later in the day when he comes across them).

If you are a parent and have ever had to have a “talk” with your young child, you probably can understand God’s position here. You know your child has a problem and you want to help him. But, some of the things that he says really tickles you. You try to remain “parental” but it is all you can do to not smile and even chuckle. Then the kid sees you smiling, when you should be stern, and he starts in, even though he has no clue why you find the situation humorous. Before long both of you are laughing, giggling and carrying on.

That was what happened this morning. I said and did Joe things, God responded and did God things. Before long we were both laughing and carrying on.

My fretting had turned a rock into gold; it had created a new channel, an underground passage and I can’t wait to start exploring them.

I bet I’ll be tired later on . . .