Don't Hit the Snooze Button!

You know the sound. It's the loud "BEEP BEEP BEEP" that wakes us from our peaceful sleep every morning (often it comes much earlier than we would like). So what is our natural response to this disruption of our sleep? Typically we'll roll over in a groggy state and fumble around until a hand has managed to locate the most beloved part of the alarm clock- the snooze button.We think, "Just five more minutes and I'll get up." But after the five mintues pass and the alarm sounds again, we go through the same routine. This cycle can continue for as long as we allow it, but it's inevitable, eventually we will have to wake up.

How similar is that to our spirital lives? We say in our hearts, "Lord, just give me a few more minutes and then I'll do this or that". Before we know it we have spiritually hit the snooze button on God's will for our lives. We've made countless promises to Him to pick up our cross, deny ourselves, and follow Him, but when it comes down to actually doing it, we'd much rather hit the snooze button.

As I was growing up, my parents often told me that delayed obedience is disobedience. I wasn't a very obedient child so I heard those words a lot. That is also true when it comes to our Heavenly Dad. He commands us to love Him and lay down our lives for Him, but when we chose to put off what He's asked us to do we are living in disobedience. James says it best:

"Anyone who knows the good he ought to do and doesn't do it, sins"

(James 4:17)

Jesus gave us the Great Commission and we are to live it out. We cannot be snoozing our lives away and ignoring the Holy Spirit's calling in our lives.

"Rescue those who are unjustly sentenced to die; save them as they stagger to their death. Don't excuse youreslf by saying, 'Look, we didn't know.' For God understands all hearts and he sees you. He who guards your soul knows you knew. He will repay all peopel as their actions deserve." (Provers 24:11)

God has called us all to rescue those who are hurting and heading to Hell. We can't keep "playing dumb". There are real people out there with real needs. Jesus commands us to love and serve one another and He calls each of us to do it in different ways.When we stand before the King of Kings on Judment Day we won't be able to say "Lord, I didn't know" because we do know what He's called us to do. God's laid out the example clearly in the Bible through the life of Jesus Christ.

We live in a world that promotes leisure and laziness, but we must rise above it all and listen to what the Holy Spirit is telling us in each of our lives. We must wake up! There's work to be done.

No more excuses! And no more snooze buttons!