Earlier today I looked up at the clock to see what time it was.

Usually, when we check the time it’s because we don’t want to be late for an appointment or because we are assessing how our time management is going for the day.  If we’re being honest, we’re often trying to gauge how productive we are (as in, “am I feeling good about myself that I’m getting enough done by this marker in the day?”).

My next flow of thought went to a very old (originally 1960’s) Dr. Pepper advertising slogan, “Drink a bite to eat at 10, 2 and 4.” I know, this slogan is pretty weird, but true. It obviously came out long before we knew the toxic nature of consuming so much sugar.

Since the numbers have to do with the time of day, many Dr. Pepper clocks were made to highlight those three hours.

Upon doing a little research, I found out that doctors back in the day had discovered a natural drop in energy at 10:30 am, 2:30 pm and 4:30 pm.  So I guess the logic was that if a person drains a bottle of carbonated sugar water 30 minutes beforehand, it would somehow offset the condition.  Hmm…

This God-thought popped into my head.  Because we have a Heavenly Father who adores His children, what if each time we looked at the clock, our first thought went something like this: It’s 10 am. I’m loved at 10 am!  It’s 2 pm,  I’m loved at 2 pm!  It’s 4 pm,  I’m loved at 4 pm!

Clearly, God’s love is the supernatural pick-me-up that we were born for and the only one that can offset any emotional or spiritual doldrums we might encounter along the way.

The best news is that His love and affection isn’t just for 10, 2 and 4, but for 5 am, Noon, 8 pm, Midnight…you get the picture.  God never turns His love off!

What would happen if every single time we looked at the clock, it became a reminder of Papa’s affection for us at that precise moment? It would not only change your outlook at the moment, but it would change your day, your week, your month and your life!

I’m going to get really practical here.  Most of you will read this article and think What a great idea! and then promptly forget about it. So how about this: Put a little sticky note on at least one of your clocks that you view regularly—the one in your bedroom that you look at before you go to sleep and when you wake up.  The one in the kitchen that you glance at several times during the rushing moments to get out the door.  The one in the dashboard of your car that you glance at frequently to see if you will be on time to your destination.  Or better yet, put a sticky note on each of them that says…“I Love You!”

Then when you check the time and see the note, you can remind yourself, “I’m tired this morning, but I’m loved!”  “I’m a few minutes late getting my kids to school, but I’m loved!”  “I have an appointment in 10 minutes and I’m loved!” “I have to get that report done in the next hour and I’m loved!”  “I have some time to sit and be quiet with you Lord–You say I’m loved!”  “I didn’t get all my to-do’s checked off today, but I sure am loved!”

Often, during the busyness of a day, I will intentionally look for Suzanne, my wife, and affectionately embrace her saying, “If we are too busy for this, we are too busy.”

Your heavenly Daddy says the same to you.  Take the time to be loved.  It’s what you were born for!

Brent Lokker was born and raised in California and has been a pastor in the San Francisco Bay Area for over two decades. Brent’s greatest joy is being a loved and treasured son of His heavenly Daddy. The other extreme joys in his life are being a husband for more than 25 years to his beautiful and amazing wife, Suzanne, and a father to his two awesome sons, Derek and Aaron.

Brent is the author of Always Loved. He and his wife Suzanne are the founding and senior pastors of Blazing Fire Church, a church on fire with the passionate gaze of Jesus!

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