4 AM

Not too long ago my wife and I experienced our bi-annual 4 AM wakeup call from the smoke detector in our bedroom. You know how this works, you are asleep and you hear a beep and at first you think to yourself, “self, I’m dreaming”, but then it happens again … and again. That annoying beep made by smoke detectors to let you know that the battery is about to be dead. I am convinced that the companies who make smoke detectors have designed them with a special chip inside to only start beeping at 4:00 a.m. It almost never fails that the beeping begins in the middle of the night.
Now as aggravating as that is one thing remains to be true. I do not take the steps to prevent this reoccurring problem. In my mind I know that if I were to replace those 9 volt batteries on a regular bases two or three times a year chances are that I would never be awaken in the middle of the night by that annoying, ear piercing beep. I would never again have to go down stairs into the garage and get out the step ladder and carry it upstairs. I would never again have to search for 9 volt batteries in the middle of the night. I could if I chose to do so eliminate this annoying little problem.
So here is the question, what is keeping me from preventing this problem from happening again? Answer – I just don’t know. I know the right thing to do, but to date I have failed to do it. As a matter of fact, I haven’t even replaced the rest of the batteries in the other smoke detectors yet. I know it is just a matter of time until they all start beeping. I know it is just a matter of time until I have to change each and every one of them. For some reason I just haven’t gotten around to it. The answer to why is ME.
So here is the question for you, what is keeping you from doing what you know you need to do in your life? What is keeping you from being a better husband, wife, son, daughter, or parent? What is keeping your from being a better boss or a better employee? What is keeping you from helping out someone who as a need you are capable of fore filling? What is keeping you from forgiving those who have wronged you? What is keeping you from serving and loving others? What is keeping you from giving yourself totally to following Jesus daily and living every moment of your life to his glory?
Just in case you have not figured it out yet, the answer to all of those questions is YOU. You are the only one who can make the changes in your life that need to be made. You are the only one who can decide today that your life is going to be different than it was yesterday. The power to make your life more pleasing to God rest entirely within you.
So, now that you know what you are going to do about it. That annoying little beep is coming any minute and the Lord could come at any moment. Are you ready? Make those changes you have been putting off – Today!
Love God. Go Love Others.