Romans 13:11-14 (Message)
But make sure that you don't get so absorbed and exhausted in taking care of all your day-by-day obligations that you lose track of the time and doze off, oblivious to God.
The night is about over, dawn is about to break.
Be up and awake to what God is doing! God is putting the finishing touches on the salvation work he began when we first believed.
We can't afford to waste a minute, must not squander these precious daylight hours in frivolity and indulgence, in sleeping around and dissipation, in bickering and grabbing everything in sight.
Get out of bed and get dressed! Don't loiter and linger, waiting until the very last minute. Dress yourselves in Christ, and be up and about!
The "snooze" button is an interesting device of modern life. But make sure that you don't get so absorbed and exhausted in taking care of all your day-by-day obligations that you lose track of the time and doze off, oblivious to God.
The night is about over, dawn is about to break.
Be up and awake to what God is doing! God is putting the finishing touches on the salvation work he began when we first believed.
We can't afford to waste a minute, must not squander these precious daylight hours in frivolity and indulgence, in sleeping around and dissipation, in bickering and grabbing everything in sight.
Get out of bed and get dressed! Don't loiter and linger, waiting until the very last minute. Dress yourselves in Christ, and be up and about!
You know, it's that big button on top of your alarm clock. The one that you slap at to stop the squawking when your alarm goes off each morning.
It buys sleep, in 7 minute increments. I actually know folks who set their alarm 30 minutes early, just so they can slap the snooze button 3 or 4 times.
Everybody has different rituals for waking up, but the time comes for us all when sleep must end.
I remember one of my favorite college professors, late in one spring term, who said, "where do you think all those students are who started out this semester skipping class and drinking too much?"
"Where do you think they are now that they've realized that they can't pass their classes, that they'll soon be facing their parents, that their scholarships will be lost?"
"Do you think they're out at a club, or at a party having a great time?"
"It's Wednesday morning, 9 AM...where do you think they are?"
"They're asleep."
"I've seen it year after year," he said. "Once reality sinks in and the parties stop...they just sleep more and more. It's the closest they can come to just disappearing."
The Apostle Paul...Jesus Christ...and this season of Advent invites us to wake up. We're invited to be prepared. These moments spent in prayer are a good time to ask God to wake us to the world he has created all around us.
We watch, and wait...awake and looking for the presence of God among us, in our midst.
Prayer: May we realize that now is the time for following Jesus with all our hearts. Help us to be up and awake, ready for what this day may bring us.
Glory be to the Father, and to the Son, and to the Holy Spirit. As it was in the beginning, is now and ever shall be. World without end. Amen.
Tomorrow's Scripture: Matthew 24;36-39
1 comment:
Im guilty of the "sleep retreat," if you will, myself. Instead of facing my guilt or whatever it may be, I sleep. I tell my friends that sleep is the best way to pass time you dont wish spend in one state or another.
You dont want to be angry? Sleep.
You dont want to be sad? Sleep.
Works like a charm.
But as you point out, sleep can cause us to miss out on things, as well.
Post a Comment