This is a repost of blog post from last September after a sermon I preached at the Well.

===========

I am not a morning person.

I used to be able to sleep in ’til the late morning/early afternoon consistently. I tried whatever I could to get up and get out to no avail. I repeatedly made commitments to God to wake up early and get up and pray.

Once, during seminary, I made that very commitment and even said that even if I never got up, I wouldn’t change the alarm clock time. I did get up at that early time… once. But I never changed the alarm.

But, it became for me a very spiritual issue. Instead of waking up and feeling like I could take on the day for the Lord, I would wake up and feel defeated and deflated. Once again, I was unable to follow through. “I am a miserable wretch… Okay, on with your day.” Part of me resigned to the fact that this was the way it was going to be my whole life. There were times where my slothfulness (really, what else is it?) would annoy Theresa, I’m sure. But she stayed with me (thank God).

But now, things have changed. If I wake up at 8am, I feel thankful that I was able to sleep in.

What changed? Two things.
Continue reading →