Getting a Jump Start

On my morning walk in the near-deserted, late-fall campground, I ran into a couple of men with a problem. They had left their car lights on while camping overnight and the battery was dead.

The men did try a portable jump starter, but it lacked the power to turn the car over.

Happy to help, I called my hubby to come give their battery a boost and continued on my walk.

Isn’t that what we all need some mornings (or even later in the day), a jump start to get us going?

Many of us depend on that morning cup of coffee to provide the necessary “pick-me-up.” Others turn to high-energy drinks. However, while it is true that caffeine can give us the physical jolt we desire, and a steaming mug can definitely rejuvenate us, it won’t fully charge our batteries.

Physical stimulants and other temporal tools lack the ability to provide the essential spiritual boost to safely and joyfully navigate the daily rat race of life.

They don’t wake us up enough to see the true value of our day. They don’t provide the necessary hope and encouragement needed to cope when something unexpected happens or when our day doesn’t go as intended (does it ever?).

To really “turn on” our day we need something much more powerful than caffeine—we need the assurance of God’s mighty hand at work in our lives.

A daily dose of the Word, worship songs, and prayer can, not only launch us into our day with purpose, but provide the sustaining burst that allows us to see the Lord in each moment, no matter how mundane or difficult.

God wants to be intimately involved in each of our lives, including and perhaps especially in the day-to-day grind.

Incorporating spiritual practices, such as devotions, singing and listening to Christian music, and praying, doesn’t ensure smooth sailing, but it does allow the Creator and Director of the wind and waves into the boat.

It is an invitation for our Savior to share our joys and sorrows, to provide wisdom when the need arises, peace when life turns upside down, and correction when we make poor choices.

It is an invitation for the Lord to provide His perspective on a day He ordained for us.

There’s no more powerful jump start than that!

“… but those who trust in the LORD will renew their strength; they will soar on wings like eagles; they will run and not grow weary; they will walk and not faint” (Isaiah 40:31).

Do you need more of a jolt than a cup of coffee can provide today? Have you tried the powerboost of God? Why not invite him in to give you a jump start!