Third Shift

3:45 AM rolled around and it was time to clock into work. I heard duty call out silently in the night, "Wake up and get to work." Immediately I knew it was God issuing the call. He stirred me - body and soul - no alarm clock necessary. He woke me up to get about to his work - his praying work.
For a few minutes I tossed and turned in an attempt to fall back asleep but my heart wouldn't rest knowing there was an uncompleted task sitting on my spiritual desk. So I finally shut my eyes, not to sleep but to speak. I prayed the only thing that came to mind, the only pressing need I could pinpoint in that moment: God, please won't you bring a buyer for my listing on Society Court?  Chaos and turmoil are ravaging the world, robbing lives and destroying families and yet the only trouble I could think of was my own petty real estate dilemma. I could think of nothing else and for the next two hours I prayed with nothing but lame and self-absorbed motives.
Finally I fell asleep but I still wasn't at peace and when I woke up at six to prepare for the day I knew why. God had woken me up for work and I had never locked in. Sure, I showed up but I never suited up. I never got around to doing His business. I spent two hours obsessed with doing mine.Regret and shame fell on me like a heavy weight. God had given me a third shift prayer job and I ignored the assignment. I failed to spend a single second on task. I frittered away two hours on my own selfish laments and temporal concerns.
Thankfully, God is forgiving and didn't fire me on the spot. He gave me the opportunity to repent and come to work the very next night. At three AM He sounded another silent alarm, stirred my soul and handed me my assignment and I immediately went to work. I clocked it and got to the job of praying for the lost, broken and blind. I went to work interceding on behalf of God's precious children in need of salvation and new life.
And do you want to know what happened? I fell back asleep. It didn't take two hours. It only took a few minutes. Once I got on task God brought it to completion. He graciously clocked me out, filled with me with peace and sent me back to sleep.
Until the next night when I was honored to go to work for God once again.