The Midnight Shift

I will both lie down in peace, and sleep; For You alone, O Lord, make me dwell in safety. (Ps 4.8)

Most of us work conventional hours known as the “first shift”. We work a common 9-5 type of schedule. These are the workers most known within the organization. Everyone knows that they work and what they do for the organization, but they are not the only ones that keep an organization afloat. The first shifters are typically out in the forefront. Everyone cheers the bottom line when a company gets new business but what about the proposal team that worked all night for many nights in a row to prepare the winning bid. Everyone appreciates a beautiful wedding but what about the wedding planner that was up all night for months working through the details. Sometimes the most important work happens not in the first shift with the people most in the forefront, but with the folks in the background – those working the “the midnight shift”.

A dear friend of mine always says Latoya rest and let Jesus work the midnight shift. Sometimes we want to see Jesus show up from 9-5 so that we know exactly what he is doing and how he is doing it but usually his efforts are working behind the scenes and we never see the miracles and blessings coming. Sometimes (ok many times) we may not even realize that all that has happened for us with such perfect alignment is Jesus’ midnight shift work.

About two months ago, I was having weird pains and aches. Day after day I would pray about 70 healing scriptures and after many doctor’s appointments and being sent to a specialist, tests found that I apparently had had an ulcer. The cool thing is that they didn’t need to treat it – it was already healed. That was happening the entire time – on Jesus’ midnight shift.

I have come to realize that while I thought it was one of those cool Baptist clichés that I have grown up hearing and knowing, I now know that it is much more meaningful than that. Jesus really is working the midnight shift. He is really working out the details when we think and feel that we are alone with no idea how things will work out. I don’t know what He is doing even now or how; and I can’t even tell anything is happening but in the midst of everything, I will lie down in peace, and I will rest because I know Jesus really is handling the midnight shift.

Be blessed!

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