Every once in awhile I meet a genuine, card-carrying "night owl." There is nothing wrong with these people; they're just made differently. Somehow, their "juices" don't turn on until noon, and by 11:00 p.m., they shine.

If you're a "night owl," the Monday morning alarm is a nightmare and 9:00 a.m. meetings are a blur. You may have cried out to God many times, "How can I wake up refreshed, when I want to scrub the floor at 2:00 a.m. and finish a book at 3:00?

If you've been blessed with this late-night energy, perhaps your question should be, "How can I use this situation for good?" If you can learn to use these restless hours to come into a new intimacy with the Lord, you'll awaken more refreshed than you can imagine - no matter how little sleep you get.

See this from a new perspective: the Lord has given you these odd hours that few people have, to get to know Him better. As the prophet Hosea cried: "Oh, that we might know the Lord! Let us press on to know him, and he will respond to us as surely as the coming of the dawn... (and the Lord replied), 'I don't want your sacrifices - I want your love; I don't want your offerings - I want you to know me.'" (Hosea 6:3, 6 TLB).

If you're a "night owl," the next time you're tempted to spend all that wonderful late-night energy on entertainment, passing pleasures or even work, think of the tremendous benefits you will reap from getting to know Him better instead!

Heavenly Father, I praise You for the energy You have given me. Teach me to use it to get to know You better, no matter what time it is. Anoint my heart with praises and prayers which will draw me closer to You. I look forward to a new joy and strength in the morning - the joy of entering a new dimension of knowing You! In Jesus' Name, Amen.