That Place Between Awake and Asleep

You know that place between awake and asleep where reality is hard to define? I found myself there for a while last night. When I finally woke up, I had a difficult realization.

The images and feelings I experience in that place between awake and asleep, follow me into consciousness. I rarely recall my dreams from deep sleep, but I find that God can get through to me in the lightly subconscious stages and I remember.

Last night it was about my prisms; not a surprising subject, since they have been an important part of what God is teaching me. But most of the feelings He has evoked by way of this object lesson have been joyful. This time I was distressed.

I kept seeing images of my walls with dull and hazy rainbows. I wanted them to be vibrant and bright. But that wasn’t the case, and I was really upset about it, in that place between awake and asleep.

I was distressed in that place between awake and asleep.

When I woke up, I knew where the images originated. There have been several days lately where the fire department has conducted controlled burns in the forest around my mountain home. The smoke blurred the sun and caused the light which came through my prisms to be dulled.

Yesterday, the same thing happened because of clouds. And when the light was diminished, the rainbows lacked luster. It was something I noticed but didn’t think much of… until I was in that place between awake and asleep where God could speak and I was not distracted.

The lesson for me was about that which I allow to block His light from shining directly through me. Fully awake now, I asked Him to show me what constituted the “smoke and clouds” in my life. What do I allow to come between Him and me which dulls His colorful beauty on my sphere of people?

Yikes, He had quite the list for me. It included things like my pride, disobedience, unforgiveness, selfishness, and people pleasing tendencies. He did not hold back. He even had examples.

He also reminded me of a conversation I’d recently had with my son about a celebrity who chose Islam because they perceived Muslims to be more devout than Christians. It was a good conversation about how the world is watching; and the main problem they have with Christ is the behavior of those who claim to follow Him. It played well into what God was pointing out to me in that place between awake and asleep.

My friends, I was on the hot seat! And I noticed it was large enough to share. So I’m here to ask you. What stands between you and God?

He wants a clean connection between Himself and His people, through which He can shine His glory. You and I are the prisms. His light should hit us and scatter in a million pieces, landing as beautiful rainbows of grace on everyone around us.

But before that can happen, we need to clear the air. What constitutes smoke and clouds between you and the Son? I challenge you, as I’ve been challenged, get rid of it. Repent, seek forgiveness, and restore the direct Son light.

The people you love need to see Jesus in a life-changing way. In that place between awake and asleep, I was distressed because of faded rainbows. When I awoke, I realized that time is too short, and opportunities are too precious, to allow anything to blur the alluring beauty of Christ on the people we love. Let’s make sure He shines through each of us in all His radiant splendor!

Direct sunlight makes vibrant rainbows, and direct Son light is even more radiant!

“You are the light of the world. A town built on a hill cannot be hidden. Neither do people light a lamp and put it under a bowl. Instead they put it on its stand, and it gives light to everyone in the house. In the same way, let your light shine before others, that they may see your good deeds and glorify your Father in heaven.”

Matthew 5:14-16