9 More Minutes...

He's fifty-seven years old and in those 57 years has taken more abuse than anyone I have ever met. He's been hit at least once or twice a day and yet for some reason he stays close by the one who hits him the most.

Most of us, at first observation would say, "Move out of harm's way!!" And yet, he has decided to stay near the hand that hits him on a daily basis, his master's hand having some sort of hypnotic power over his ability to move away and seek shelter.

Is he loyal?
To a fault...
Is he stupid?
I wouldn't go that far... He really believes that he is providing a valuable service to his master.
Will he seek therapy?
I sincerely doubt it. He's a prisoner in his own home.
Does he work?
Mostly in the mornings. He has a great "bedside manner."
What's his name?
Telechron 7H241... better known as "The Snooze Button."

Thanks to the General Electric Company, the "Telechron 7H241" was unveiled in 1956 as the "most humane alarm clock ever invented." And for the last 57 years we have been hitting Mr. Telechron 7H241 every day since!

My personal record is hitting the Snooze Button fourteen times in a row.
The Snooze Button is the only device ever invented that helps us enjoy doing math in our head.
For example, the alarm goes off and you have one hour to get ready.
Hit the snooze and your brain immediately does the math and you determine you can do an hour's worth of getting ready in 51 minutes.
Boom!! Nine minutes later you hit Mr. Telechron 7H241 again and the mental math gymnastics continues, "I know I can get it all done in 42!" (And then your mind starts to race... "42? Oh, that was a great movie... Jackie Robinson.... Jackie? My friend who lives in Iowa...Iowa? Corn... I love corn and how I eat it like a typewriter...Typewriter? I loved learning how to type on the manual Olympic... Olympics? I am stepping up to the starting line for the 100 meter dash, the starter raises his gun and BOOM!...)
The Alarm has gone off again and now you have 33 minutes and you are up and at 'em all mad because, He, Mr. Telechron 7H241 ruined your morning by getting you off to a late start.
Off to work you go, vowing that you will get revenge on Mr. Telechron 7H241 tomorrow morning!
And you do...just to get 9 more minutes...

My iWitness...

Well... that was kind of silly wasn't it?
But, oh so true!

I wonder how many times God offers an alarm, a wake up call to us.
Only to have us lay there...
Offer a big heavy sigh...
Roll over...
Roll our eyes...
And in one quick motion that belies our current state we smack the Snooze Button.
To return to our dreams
To rest in our sleepy, non-productive state of being
To ignore the call to action
To put off for nine more minutes the inevitable
To delay the potential joy of a renewed sense of communion with the Holy of Holies...

There are lots of studies out there that show that the repeated abuse of the Telecrhon 7H241 is actually bad for your body and your health.

There are lots of scriptures out there that show the repeated abuse of putting God off for "later" is actually bad for our spiritual health.

What would happen if we actually "woke up" and "got up" and "listened up" on the first call?
Hold on...
Excuse me for just a minute...
My alarm just went off...
BOOM...
I'll get back to you later...
Give me just 9 more minutes...

And that's my iWitness...
Laugh often and fear not!
David!

And the Lord came and stood, calling as at other times, “Samuel! Samuel!” And Samuel said, “Speak, for your servant hears.” (1 Samuel 3. 10)