I awoke at 3:00am this morning thinking I heard an explosion in the distance.  Since we live around chemical plants this would not be too out of the ordinary.  I looked out the window to see if I noticed any fires in the distance.  I saw nothing.  As I laid down in bed again, I noticed another noise.  Thump, thump, thump, etc.  I went out in the backyard and discovered that our neighbors on the street behind us were playing basketball.  At 3:00 in the morning.  What is this world coming to?

I couldn’t go back to sleep so I stayed up and read my Bible and prayed for a while.  I always enjoy early morning prayer times, there is something special about the Lord’s presence that early. 

I went back to bed about 4:30 and was awakened by the phone at 6:23am.  It was from a person I didn’t know.  I said, “Hello.” No one answered.  6:27am someone else called from a different number, still I did not know them.  I said, “Hello.” No one answered.  6:40am yet another call from another person I did not know. I said, “Hello.” No one answered.  6:57am another call.  7:18 another call.

It was kind of a weird morning.  I am always alarmed when someone calls early.  As a pastor, you know that it is usually someone in need.  But five people whom I don’t know and none of them want to talk to me.  It was just plain weird.  It seemed kind of like one of those weird dreams you have that everything goes against the grain.  Where everything you pick up falls down or you cannot get your car started when someone is chasing you.  It was just a weird morning.

In spite of all of that, God is good!  We serve a great God who is high above all other gods.  This is the day that the Lord has made, I will rejoice and be glad in it.