Just 5 more minutes

Just Five More Minutes

The radio blaring startled me awake. Just five more minutes, I told myself, as I banged around on the headboard and finally found the snooze button.

Four times, I said just five more minutes, only my snooze alarm is random, it goes off at intervals every where from five to nine minutes. Suddenly it was 33 minutes later than I was supposed to get up and I was in a panic. The rest of the day was thrown off kilter because of just five more minutes.

I haven't decided if the snooze button is a great invention or a curse. I know it impacts me, because I'll play mind games with it. I'll set my alarm ten minutes early because, I can "sneak" a few extra minutes of sleep in when it goes off.

The quality of the sleep isn't very good, but it seems so much better because it is some sleep I've managed to "steal". Truth be known, I would have slept better if I had set the alarm for the right time and simply got up with it.

I wondered this morning how often God had been calling me and I hit my internal snooze button instead. Just wait a little longer God, just a little longer, just a little longer. Suddenly I'm running way behind and I missed out on the opportunity to listen or to serve.

God puts someone on my heart and says give them a call or drop them a note. Okay God, just as soon as I .... and then it's weeks later. I find out that in the interim they had been going through a crisis time and really could have used some encouragement.

We all do it. I think I do it less now than I used to earlier in my walk, but I'm far from perfect. I'm so glad He is a loving, patient and merciful God.

He's used to people putting other things ahead of time with Him or in obedience to Him.

As Jesus and his disciples were on their way, he came to a village where a woman named Martha opened her home to him. She had a sister called Mary, who sat at the Lord's feet listening to what he said. But Martha was distracted by all the preparations that had to be made. She came to him and asked, "Lord, don't you care that my sister has left me to do the work by myself? Tell her to help me!"

"Martha, Martha," the Lord answered, "you are worried and upset about many things, but only one thing is needed. Mary has chosen what is better, and it will not be taken away from her. Luke 10:38-42 NIV

Martha would have made time after the house was perfect. The disciples in the Garden of Gethsemane would have prayed with Jesus after a little nap.

When will you make time to listen and obey?

Until next time, may you take the time with Him instead of playing games with life's snooze alarm.