Beep, beep, beep!
Most mornings, the familiar sound of my husband’s alarm clock starts our days off bright and early. He doesn’t typically get up following that first alarm sound. Instead, he sets multiple clocks to ensure he is awake and then keeps hitting snooze.
One morning, our then-3-month-old wasn’t too fond of the first blaring morning siren that woke him up.
“Ahh!” he yelled loudly as the alarm rang through our bedroom.
Following his scream, the two of us couldn’t help but giggle. My husband and I were tickled that an early A.M. alarm is always annoying, even for a young infant.
Haven’t we all been there?
Whether going to school, work, an appointment, or even leaving on time for a vacation, alarm clocks can be necessary to wake deep sleepers and encourage us to tackle the day’s tasks and chores, albeit a little annoying.
Typically, these most helpful clocks also feature a snooze button.
And if not careful, that snooze button can cause more trouble than it’s worth.
In 2023, NBC News reported on a survey that looked deeper into the power of the clock's function. The network shared, “69% [of those polled] said they hit the snooze button at least sometimes, especially on weekdays. Many, 60%, said they ‘most often’ or ‘always’ fell asleep between alarms, the result being that, on average, snoozers got just a little less sleep.”
According to this information, those few minutes of “extra” sleep in the morning resulted in less sleep overall. The information above suggests that sleep is critical not only in our lives but also indicates that some things are better not to pause or delay, such as getting up in the morning.
For decades, our society has lived on the go. It seems like we are always chasing an appointment, making sure that our children make it to games on time and visit with their friends, staying out late to spend time with our loved ones (if we manage to fit that into our packed schedules), or perhaps even spending more time in the office than with our family back home.
But when it all comes down to it, there are some things that we can’t snooze.
We can’t pause our children’s childhood.
We can’t return and redo the years of tee ball games and tea parties.
There are absolutely no second chances when it comes to serving our families.
And if we aren’t careful and continue to prioritize the things of this world over quality time with our family, we risk losing the most important things we’ve ever been given.
In Scripture, Ephesians 5:14 stands out when considering sleep and living for the Lord. It says,
“Awake, sleeper,
And arise from the dead,
And Christ will shine on you.”
In this context, I’m not sure we want to be caught off guard.
It is a command. Here, Paul is urging us, as followers of Christ, to wake up, set aside our worldly desires, and follow the Lord.
The book’s author continues in verses 15-21 by providing clear examples of how we are expected to walk with the Lord and care for those around us. The passage states:
Therefore be careful how you walk, not as unwise men but as wise, making the most of your time, because the days are evil. So then do not be foolish, but understand what the will of the Lord is. And do not get drunk with wine, for that is dissipation, but be filled with the Spirit, speaking to one another in psalms and hymns and spiritual songs, singing and making melody with your heart to the Lord; always giving thanks for all things in the name of our Lord Jesus Christ to God, even the Father; and be subject to one another in the fear of Christ.
I can’t help but wonder if we, as believers, are following this call. Are we diligently following these commands for the sake of our families and our faith? Are we boldly proclaiming the gospel to those within our homes and those outside of them?
If we sit on the sidelines and continually snooze instead of doing the Lord’s work and raising our families in His goodness and grace, do we think our race will be well run? Or are we just hoping to scoot past the finish line?
Maybe when we get to heaven, the Lord won’t question how we lived in our homes. After all, He already knows what took place there. But what happens if our children miss the pearly gates because we prioritize running errands over caring for those entrusted to us?
Before it is too late, I pray that Christian homes in America will wake up and realize that time may be shorter than we think. And if we keep hitting the snooze button on our faith and family, we may lose the fight of faith to the biggest enemy of all.
