An encounter

Today I really rebelled against getting up early, even though yesterday I heard about the message about men acting like boys and not getting out of bed. While yes i can get out of bed in time to read my bible and say some prayers and get to work, I am choosing to sleep over spending time with God. I am realizing that it being with God and learning about and experiencing him is not something I have to do, it is something I GET to do. I pray God that not only would you give me a burden for the souls you have put into my life, but that I would not be slumbering during this time of mid-battle training. The battle is very real and is waging all around me, yet most times I would rather sleep in just a few extra minutes because I "deserve it". The only thing I "deserve" is Hell. But God has redeemed me, that means he paid for me so that I would not go where I deserved because God's love demands my life for himself. He has called me out of death into life. I love the way Galatians 2:20 puts it, "For I have been crucified with Christ, it is no longer I who live, but Christ who lives in me. The life I live in this body I live through faith in the Son of God who loved me and gave himself for me." If I live by faith in the Son of God, I can faith to lose sleep for the sake of God, or lose a meal, or a drink, or a limb, or my life itself and know that I am His. When my foundation is on the rock, I cannot be moved, because he is unmoving, immutable, infinite, omnipotent, infallible. I declare your words over my life, that I will be a living sacrifice, holy and pleasing to you because it really is the only reasonable response to the vast oceans of grace you pour on me by your insane mercies.
Lord, thank you for today and for help at work. Thank you for tonight and for the sons and daughters that were added to your family. I praise you for your compassions that never fail, which are new every morning. I praise you that you are the God that is completely self-sufficient, that you do not need anything let alone from me, but yet you still desire me and want to partner with me to do great things that you could do quite easily on your own. God thank you for granting me repentance tonight and showing me the depths of my sin and how they grieve you. Help me to be holy as you are holy and to honor you with my body, mind, and spirit. Show me more of you that I would fear you and love you more that I might not sin against you.
Jesus, Jesus Lord of my life, I love you.