Don't Sleep On It

I'm not sure an alarm clock is ever as disturbing and unwelcome as it is on a Monday morning. The weekends are almost always too short; the upcoming workload seems too long; and we could always use another hour or two of sleep. So how do we respond to our blaring reminder to get out of bed? For many of us, we hit the snooze bar and delay the inevitable. The rest of our day, truly the best part of it lies above our pillow, outside of our cozy comforter, somewhere beyond the beeping annoyance of an alarm. And if you think about it, this battle is waged on other fronts as well.

Maybe it's just me, but I find a similar struggle in my spiritual strivings. Through the reading, teaching, and proclamation of Scripture, the Holy Spirit reveals my many areas of weakness, the places where refinement and rehabilitation are necessary. While the results of these nudges are often comforting, they require coarse conviction of sin before soothing is ever sensed. And despite my knowledge that growth and maturity come not without great pain and grace-driven effort, I resist sanctification's siren to move. Instead, I lay in that bed of spiritual slothfulness.

Now the thing that keeps me lax in my spiritual pursuit is the same thing that has me slapping the snooze bar. What root issue lies beneath them both? It is simply an issue of faith. Do I believe there is more beyond where I currently am? Well, yes... Of course I do! Yet in those days where I fail to fight against sin, when my pursuit is for less than the deeper things of God, my lack of obedience reveals my underlying issue of unbelief.

We eventually get out of bed and go to work because we have to or at least because we know that it is what we are supposed to do and that later we will find joy - after the foggy-headed drowsiness subsides. But I have to wonder, how many glorious sunrises have been missed? How many purposeful morning conversations have been neglected? What did I lose out on because I was convinced that I needed another nine minutes of sleep?

Friend, I'm certain that my physical laziness has caused me to miss out on many early morning beauties, including some special moments at home with my wife and kids. However, I'm convinced that my spiritual complacency has caused me to forfeit far more. What type of growth lies ahead, beyond some God-ordained wrestling and struggle? What kinds of riches are there to be found? What deeper fellowship is there to be enjoyed with the Savior? How might our obedience bring Him glory? Oh, what sweetness and peace is available to those who rest in His work, who rely on Him for strength, who charge forward with hearts fully acknowledging that He goes before us?

Folks, the best part of our life, the only real life to be found is that life which is hidden in the risen Christ. The fullness of our hope resides only in His Gospel. May we heed the Spirit's call to get up from our bed of complacency and follow our Good Shepherd into His plentiful pasture. Following Jesus, turning from our waning ways and toward our dear Savior is where peace and grace and mercy are so abundantly found. And it is along this narrow path that we begin to belong to something bigger and finally see beyond ourselves. This truth is transformational and trustworthy. Let us not sleep on it.

Matt Fowler - NBC Family Pastor of HS
@FattMowler