Let Me Sleep
LET ME SLEEP
Read Ezekiel 3:16-21.
“Be quiet, Daisy,” murmured Ellen sleepily as she burrowed deeper into her bed. The barking continued, but Ellen ignored it. Suddenly, a furry pooch landed on the bed beside her, barking furiously. Ellen pushed the dog away. “Quiet!” she commanded again.
Daisy ran down the hall toward Ellen’s parents’ room. Then thump! She was back again, pouncing on Ellen and barking loudly. Ellen sat up, very annoyed. “Lie down and be still!” she said. Instead, the dog ran out the door, barking and looking to see if Ellen was following.
Ellen sniffed the air. What was that smell? It was smoke! She leaped from her bed and ran into the hall, where her parents were just coming from their room. Soon they were all out in the yard, waiting for the fire trucks.
The next morning Ellen read about the fire on the local news’s website. “Dog Saves Home and Family,” the headline read. She hugged Daisy. “Sorry I got mad at you,” she apologized. “I’m glad you kept trying to wake me up.”
Mom looked over at Ellen. “Sometimes it’s good to be awakened, isn’t it?” she said thoughtfully. “That will be a good thing for you to keep in mind when you see your friend Alicia again.”
“Alicia?” asked Ellen. “What do you mean?”
“Yesterday you said you weren’t going to try to witness to Alicia anymore because it seems to annoy her. In a way she’s saying, ‘Let me sleep.’ But she needs to wake up to her need for Jesus,” explained Mom. “Daisy loved you enough to keep after you even when you didn’t like it. So don’t give up on Alicia.”
HOW ABOUT YOU?
Are you afraid to witness to your friends because they might be annoyed or angry? Don’t give up witnessing to them.
TO MEMORIZE:
Don’t be afraid of suffering for the Lord. Work at telling others the Good News, and fully carry out the ministry God has given you.
2 Timothy 4:5
KEEP WITNESSING.
From the book
