“Be still, and know that I am God: I will be exalted among the nations, I will be exalted in the earth.” (Psalm 46:10)
When the alarm clock goes off in the morning, I am usually not very excited. Whether it’s early or late in the morning, there is usually a brief thought of, “ohh being in bed is just so nice”. As I get older the more I realize that it is a good thing to be uncomfortable. It is profitable for me to be productive.It’s good for me to get out of bed, for the alarm clock to sound off a call to rise.
Going through my days I also find that sometimes God sounds an alarm in my own heart and as my sweet friend Tracy would say, “God punches my heart” and convicts me of my sin. Ouch. That is not fun. To realize I offended someone, acted unbecomingly, or the internal ones…pride , anger, bitterness, lazniness. yuck. Those are the worst of all because it shows just how wicked my heart actually is. I had sin all inside my heart, but the outside looked clean. Like biting into a perfectly good apple, only to find it rotten. How true is that though? I know my heart is rotten and depraved without the Lord. Scripture is so clear that I am a wicked horrible sinner unworthy to be in the presence of a righteous and holy God. Like Ephesians 2, “Among them we too all formerly lived in the lusts of our flesh, indulging the desires of the flesh and of the mind, and were by nature children of wrath, even as the rest.” Remember, I can’t be in His presence because of HIM not because of me, and the most beautiful part of all…”But God, being rich in mercy, because of His great love with which He loved us, even when we were dead in our transgressions, made u
s alive together with Christ (by grace you have been saved), and raised us up with Him, and seated us with Him in the heavenly places in Christ Jesus, so that in the ages to come He might show the surpassing riches of His grace in kindness toward us in Christ Jesus.”
Praise God that HE sounds the alarm in my heart. Praise God that HE sounds the alarm of conviction to draw me near. For HIS Glory. The Lord does know that because of the condition of my heart I was spiritually doomed.
Having been in a Christian environment, I do push snooze on His call. Being in a Church that preaches the Word well sometimes moves me to complacency, not feeling like I need to search the scriptures because my leaders are Godly. Having a solid community around me does tempt me to put my guard down or maintain status quo. What a shame that is.
I would do well to be still. It would bless my heart to know His Word. I would be wise to wait on the Lord. To respond to His alarm of salvation, conviction, or action the first time. The Lord is gracious and compassionate. Slow to anger and rich in love. Wait on the Lord. When He sounds the alarm in your heart its time to get up.
