Jesus - and the alarm clock

I cringe with a touch of foreboding when I set my alarm clock; I shudder and shrink deeper under the covers when the thing goes off in the morning. I'm not a morning person. The alarm says It's time - now! - to get moving, to hustle, to get the stress of the day cranked up. I heard Ken Blanchard, author of The One Minute Manager, humorously ask, Why is it called an "alarm" clock? An alarm means warning, fright, danger! Why not call it an "opportunity" clock?

As cobwebbed as my head can be when I'm awakened, I do have a choice. I can mutter, Ugh, time to get up, I'm tired, why did I set that breakfast meeting, it's dark, not enough sleep, so much to do today. Or, I can pause, and breathe - and the simple fact of inhaling and exhaling can be my first prayer. Thank God I'm alive; praise the Lord that another day has been added to my life. God is good.

I might give thanks I got some sleep. I might let a Bible verse cross my mind, or even come out of my mouth: This is the day the Lord has made; let us rejoice, and be glad in it (Psalm 118:24). I wonder, with technological advances, if I could even persuade my smart phone or iHome to awaken me with somebody reading those words, or maybe a spiritual song or a hymn.

I picture Jesus waking up in the morning. Maybe his mother Mary jiggled his shoulder a little, or he heard a rooster crowing. Maybe his travelling companions began to stir. I envision Jesus as a morning person, but maybe his body clock was like mine. Either way, Jesus was so intimate with the God who made the day, the God who keeps hearts beating and lungs respirating when none of us are even trying, the God who dances a few dreams through our heads during the night, that I bet Jesus rose gratefully, and before grabbing his coffee (or whatever pick-me-up ancient people used) he spoke with God his Father, gave thanks, offered himself to serve that day.

Nothing to be alarmed about. Just another day the Lord has made.