Answering The Early Morning Alarm Clock

The sound was somewhat familiar, and yet my lack of sleep left my tired brain fighting to find the source. The keeper of my auditory memory files raced to bring an answer to the rest of my brain that cried out; “What is that noise and how should we respond?”  

Only a few hours earlier I had crawled into bed after a day of celebrating one of son’s wedding and now some noise had caused my sleep deprived brain to call the rest of my body to respond.


Whoever was on night duty in my brain came back to inform me that this familiar sound was my alarm clock; which had been set so that I wouldn’t sleep through the early morning departure of one of my daughter’s, her husband, and one of my grandsons who were getting up early to catch a plane that would take them back home to North Carolina. 


They had been staying with us the past four days and three nights as gatherings surrounding the wedding took place; which included times for us to babysit our grandson.


I know that inside of me an election was being held to see whether or not I would go back to sleep. It appeared that a “yes” vote to stay in bed was headed towards a landslide victory and my body would go back to auto pilot as it recharged its batteries in a deep sleep.

Yet, my need to connect with them one more time; to hug them and hold them, and let them know how much I loved them triumphed over the portion of my body that voted to stay asleep.  

I arose and joined Cathy as we together answered the call to go downstairs where quickly coffee was made so that the rest of my body would be fully functioning before they departed, or at least tip the scales so that more was awake than was asleep.

We only spent a few moments (a half cup of coffee to be exact) taking turns holding our grandson as his parents gathered their last few items from the shower and refrigerator; after walking through the house one more time to make sure that nothing was left behind, and then zipped their suitcases, signaling that this time together had come to an end... 

Hugs were given, “goodbyes” were said as we watched them slip out into the early morning chill and then drive away. I am glad that my need to arise outvoted my desire to sleep in! It was worth giving up some time that would’ve otherwise been used for sleeping so that I could spend time with them.

Over the years I have found that this same drive that causes me to wake up when I need sleep has been a key part of my daily devotions. 


Somehow, some way, my brain is awakened and somehow, some way, the small portion of me that wants to get up and respond to the call to spend time with the Lord out votes the majority wants to sleep in today.

And like my need to connect with loved ones one more time, the Spirit inside of me longs to respond to the invitation to spend time with God and triumphs over the portion of my body that votes to stay asleep. 

The Bible records that Jesus Himself pushed past sleep to spend time with the Father: “Now in the morning, having risen a long while before daylight, He went out and departed to a solitary place; and there He prayed.” (Mark 1:35)


I will agree with you that some days it is good to sleep in; we are wired by God to do so. In fact in the Bible we read that He doesn’t take it lightly when we violate His calls for us to rest and observe Sabbaths.


But this pushing past sleep has been one of the key reasons that I have been able to fellowship with God…to spend time with Him…to know who He is and what He thinks of me as one of His children, as daily I read His Word and pray to Him as I seek His will for my life.


Perhaps God has been calling you with His “alarm clock” as the keeper of your auditory memory files race to bring an answer to the rest of your brain that cries out; “What is that noise and how should I respond?”


Arise; it will be worth giving up some time that would’ve otherwise been used for sleeping.