Wake up and smell the coffee

...while reading scripture?

Leon at CUF offers some encouragement on Seizing the Moment

In our daily spiritual lives, moments of decision typically revolve around temptations. We’re trying to follow Christ and abide by His teachings and commands. Then we’re confronted with a situation in which we’re being lured—subtly or overtly, whatever best suits Satan’s purposes at the time—into doing what we know we shouldn’t do.

We all struggle, but what about setting the tone early in the day. In essence, girding up for battle as soon as we wake.

Instead of having the day’s moral decisions dominated by choices to avoid temptations to sin, as though we’re constantly navigating through a spiritual minefield, why not capitalize on moments of opportunity to grow in the love of God and neighbor? After all, the best defense is a good offense. The first moment of decision in a given day, and one in which quiet heroes are made, occurs the instant we awake. It’s the decision literally to get out of bed. At that moment, we’re comfortable, we might still be tired or not feel so great, and it would be easy to justify hitting the snooze button so we can sleep some more.

Wise words that seem to hit home. I have wanted to get up earlier and spend some time in prayer or reading scripture for quite some time. But I keep hitting that blasted snooze button. Not motivated enough to make the commitment.

But as is often the case, prayers are answered on God's time. When you seek, you find. And this challenge is perhaps just what is needed to bring out the commitment.