This morning’s devotion is based on Week 3 of Cross Examined: Why are you sleeping? (LISTEN HERE)
Wake up!
Nothing gets your heart moving faster than when you are in the process of dosing off or have fallen asleep to have someone shake you and vehemently yell, “Wake up!” Sometimes it’s not the words that matter but a startling sound in the middle of the night that rips you from your slumber and causes you to become fully alert. Adrenaline flows and your mind quickly tries to determine if you are needing to fight, flee, or what.
Usually the stern cry to “wake up!” is made when one is imminent danger and continuing to sleep would imperil the person or others under their care.
Has this ever happened in a spiritual way to you? When your life is going in a direction that is opposite to the footsteps of the Spirit and while you are comfortable walking that direction, a trusted friend says, “Wake up!”
Or perhaps you embark on a decision that has potential to derail your faith or weaken it and a Christian friend says, “Watch out!”
The Proverbs say, “Better is open rebuke than hidden love. 6 Wounds from a friend can be trusted, but an enemy multiplies kisses. (Proverbs 27:5-6)
There is no greater friend than we have in Jesus. When he tells us to “Wake up!” we certainly want to pay attention.
Jesus is most concerned about us entering eternity with him safely. He knows the influence of Satan, the world and our sinful flesh will seek to lull us into a spiritual sleep and apathy that is no longer able to discern right from wrong and has little concern for the truth of God’s Word and the saving work of Jesus.
Wake up!
Proverbs 24:32 I applied my heart to what I observed and learned a lesson from what I saw: 33 A little sleep, a little slumber, a little folding of the hands to rest—34 and poverty will come on you like a thief and scarcity like an armed man.
Solomon was making an observation of financial wealth that individuals who have no desire to work will find themselves in poverty. But the same application can be made spiritually.
A little sleep on a Sunday morning and your soul is deprived of the Word of truth, the forgiveness of the Sacrament and the opportunity to be encouraged by your Christian family.
A little folding of the hands unwilling to go against your peers who are engaging in questionable behavior and you find yourself finding less direction from God’s truth and more flowing with the current of the culture.
Just an evening to “let loose” and “have a little fun” and the experience begins to dull your conscience to feel that a little sin doesn’t matter that much.
The result?
Like one saying, “I’m just going to take a little nap” finds themselves in a full sleep, so one who drifts off spiritually is in danger of sliding into a full spiritual sleep!
Wake up!
Satan loves when our soul sleeps and our spiritual alertness wanes. He loves to use a tired and worn spirit in a person to convince us that a little sleep doesn’t matter. When spiritual sleep kicks in he wins.
Jesus would have none of it because he loves you too much.
“Wake up!” he yells into our hearts to get our spiritual adrenaline going and flee from the temptations of Satan to the safety of our Savior!
Apply: What tempts you to fall into a spiritual sleep? Where do you find yourself justifying your behavior thinking “a little rest” won’t matter? What helps to wake up?
Prayer: Lord Jesus, wake me from my spiritual slumber so that at all times I am alert and aware of the prowling lion of the devil who seeks to devour me while I spiritually sleep. AMEN.