Daily Focus - Good Intentions

"Love not sleep, lest thou come to poverty; open thine eyes, and thou shalt be satisfied with bread" (Proverbs 20:13).

Another morning was getting away from me. I knew I should have gotten up early when I heard the alarm clock, but the covers felt so good on this crisp, fall morning. Certainly God wouldn't mind if I prayed to Him while lying down under the blankets. As I began my prayers, I felt my body start to drift. Shaking off the sleep, I started once again, but the sleepiness came back. An entire hour later, I was still in bed. I was late to start homeschooling my children and knew I would be playing "catch up" for the rest of the day without God's strength or guidance.

Peter, James, and John lost the same battle of sleep when Jesus asked them to pray in the Garden of Gethsemane. Three times the Lord asked them to pray, and three times they fell asleep and heard His words, "What, could ye not watch with me one hour? Watch and pray, that ye enter not into temptation: the spirit indeed is willing, but the flesh is weak" (Matthew 26:40b-41). Falling asleep when Jesus needed them the most, the disciples certainly failed.

Do you have good intentions to have a quiet time with the Lord each morning? Good intentions are not enough! Satan loves to tempt us to listen to the desires of our flesh and miss our devotions. Without the Holy Spirit's empowering, we, too, will fail in our attempts to walk with the Lord, as well as in our efforts to homeschool. Don't be like the disciples or the foolish virgins in Matthew 25:1-13 who fell asleep waiting for the bridegroom. Stay alert and offer the prayers and worship to the Lord that is due to Him. "Yet a little sleep, a little slumber, a little folding of the hands to sleep: So shall thy poverty come as one that travelleth; and thy want as an armed man" (Proverbs 24:33-34).

Jesus, forgive me for being lazy in my efforts to come to You each day. I recognize the importance of Your sweet fellowship and recommit my life to You today. In Your name, Amen.