Early Morning Alarms

Early morning is mine. It’s my quiet time for approaching the day. There is no alarm clock, just a natural process of getting up and facing the day long before thinking about it. For the most part, fully rested and with no distractions, I begin fine-tuning my schedule. I check in with my devotions, prayer, and morning news (just the headlines). Several cups of coffee. Cereal. It’s my time for writing and thinking. I’m not communicating with anyone this early. It’s Quiet Time!

For the most part, this is a regular daily routine.

Until the alarm bells go off. No. I’m not hearing anything. Nor is there any news message portending a questionable day. But something happens within my routine that makes me feel unsettled. An email. Headline. Yes, I received an Amber Alert, and I’m sure I’ve turned that notification off before. It’s more like I had a wild thought. Something doesn’t feel quite right. Some might call it intuition, second-sight, insight, or even a flash of understanding. From comfort zones, we do a quantum leap into the unknown.

That’s what I felt this morning.

How do you handle those times when an early morning alarm system within tells you of a coming calamity?

Batten Down The Hatches

Well, an old sailing term comes to mind. Batten down the hatches! Close all openings where wind and water might make it inside your ship and create havoc. You close all windows and lock all the doors. Check on all your supplies and make sure you know where everything is to handle the coming problem. Reset all your alarms. Wait. Prepared.

I’m not too fond of smoke alarms. There’s nothing like that steady beep that indicates a battery is wearing out. In the middle of the night. Or the alarm from your WIFI-enabled doorbell or security system. Even your dogs! Suddenly barking into the night as if something is on the property that shouldn’t be. Okay. A few months ago, a neighbor had a bear sign, and I’m not sure how many German Shepherds it would take to chase it away!

Now what?

Have you ever prepared for a storm that never arrived? Or that dreaded phone call that never rings? Maybe your biggest fear of what the mail might deliver, and it doesn’t? You keep waiting for that proverbial shoe to drop.

We’ve all dotted the “I’s” and crossed the “T’s” to make sure everything is as perfect as it can be. Now we wait.

What To Do When Waiting

This morning I was thinking about Daniel. What must his life have been like when there were dangers and threats all around him. He has been elevated to one of the three governors over the kingdom. He had an excellent spirit within that showed without! (Daniel 6:3) But underfoot, many despised him and his belief system. Without his knowledge, it seems, a new law was introduced that no one could pray or petition any god or God for 30 days. If so, the Lion’s Den awaits!

What did Daniel do? What would you do? Alarm bells were probably ringing in his mind. He had heard the decree was signed, and he probably knew what the punishment would be.

Now when Daniel knew that the writing was signed, he went home.
And in his upper room, with his windows open toward Jerusalem,
he knelt down on his knees three times that day,
and prayed and gave thanks before his God,
as was his custom since early days.
(Daniel 6:10 NKJV)

What would you do? Could you continue your walk with God even when the winds of change are shrieking across the landscape? The Bible paints Daniel’s life in this verse: “…as was his custom since early days.” Could he have prayed with his windows closed? Sure. Was it possible Daniel could pray in secret and hidden from the spies? Definitely, but his excellent spirit and faith in God show what most scripture heroes tell us. “Keep on keeping on.”

Some like being a Chicken Little running here and there, “The Sky is Falling!” Some feel like Paul Revere, “The British are coming!” What’s Better? Be like Daniel. Excellent Spirit and a Praying Life.

Rocking Through The Hard Times

I have this image of my grandmother. My son drew her picture many years ago. She’s sitting in her Bentley Rocker. With Bible and prayer list by her side. Grandmother spent positive moments in prayer. Throughout the day, she would pause and pray. Pause. Pray. Her prayer list was three pages long (I have them in my library). I’m unsure where her Bible went, but I can imagine her notations of messages, and important thoughts underlined and marked.

Through the years, Grandmother lived during hard times. Tough times. Good years. Lean years. Life. Death. Ups and downs. Joy and tears. Maybe it’s my heritage to have only known here in those later years when I was becoming aware of what it meant to be a child of God no matter the circumstances. While it’s true I saw this in my parents, there was something special about Grandmother. Is it easy? It’s not supposed to be different than what anyone else is going through. Your witness is that you make it through!

This is my thought for the day. Rocking Through The Hard Times!