During a hotel stay, you can call the front desk and ask for a wake up call. The hotel staff agrees to phone your room at your requested time to wake you.
Even if you have an alarm clock or awaken naturally, a wake up call is a good idea. It serves as a warning or back up. Your alarm clock may not work … may be set to the wrong time zone … may have gotten jostled in travel… may have weak batteries. Your body may not be prepared for jet lag or a change of routine.
We also refer to “a wake up call” as a warning about life circumstances in the midst of complacency. A wake up call is especially helpful when we are distracted, busy, or preoccupied.
Do you ask God for wake up calls?
A ministry partner recently shared what he’d learned from three successive wake up calls he’d received within the space of just a few weeks.
One was the loss of a childhood buddy who’d succumbed suddenly after a sleep apnea attack in the middle of the night. The second was the death of was a professional colleague who’d unexpectedly entered the hospital, underwent several procedures, but never came home. The third was different – a close family friend who had a torn aorta but made it to the hospital in time for life-saving surgery.
Could the first two friends have done more for the Kingdom if they’d been here longer? There is no way to know this side of heaven.
The third friend’s close call was a reminder to the patient – and our ministry partner – to use the remainder of life as meaningfully as possible.
Don’t sleep through the alarm
It’s easy to be lulled into sleepy complacency or mistakenly believe you’ll “wake up naturally.” A healthy Christ-follower understands the importance of asking for and listening to God’s wake up calls.
Our ministry partner chose to see these three circumstances as wake up calls from God. Can you do more for the Kingdom right now before it’s time for you to leave earth?
Three wake up calls. One close call. Don’t sleep through the alarm.
