When Nancy and I had our children, we made a conscious decision that we would make as much noise as we wanted while they were napping and sleeping. We wanted them to be resilient to be able to sleep in all conditions. Our plan worked well and throughout their childhoods, our children have been very good sleepers and nappers.
Fast-forward to our boys’ teenage years and our plan has backfired on us. Three of our four boys struggle to wake up when an alarm is sounding, their phone is ringing, or there is the noise of everyone else up in the house or apartment. One of our sons purchased wristbands that shock him to wake him up, while another has purchased an app on his phone that requires him to do certain actions (including math calculations) to turn off the alarm.
Being able to sleep is truly a gift, but when our sleep becomes a hindrance to our living, the excess must be challenged. In Romans 13:11-14, we read, “Besides this, you know what time it is, how it is now the moment for you to wake from sleep. For salvation is nearer to us now than when we became believers; the night is far gone, the day is near. Let us then lay aside the works of darkness and put on the armor of light; let us live honorably as in the day, not in reveling and drunkenness, not in debauchery and licentiousness, not in quarreling and jealousy. Instead, put on the Lord Jesus Christ, and make no provision for the flesh, to gratify its desires.”
Paul is calling out to the believers in Rome to awaken from their stupor and sleep because the day of salvation is near, and they need to change the focus for their lives and be more vigilant to live life in the Light of Jesus Christ. It appears they have become complacent or so comfortable in the habits of their daily living that they have lost sight of the pursuit of Jesus. They have forgotten what is important. They appear to have placed their own comfort and perceived enjoyment ahead of their daily walk with Jesus. They have fallen spiritually asleep.
In Living the Adventure Ministries mission statement, we place spiritual awakening at the forefront of our mission. Our mission statement begins, “Living the Adventure Ministries seeks to work for the transformation of the world, through the awakening of the Church…” The Church and the individuals who make up the Church at times will lose focus and become self-centered, seeking their own way and their own comfort. When this occurs, the Church falls into the trap of becoming more about “ME” and less about “JESUS.” Division sets into the body and the arguments become less about belief and more about the creature comforts of the building or the layout of the worship experience or the placement of the dishes in the kitchen.
Some of the characteristics of our spiritually being asleep include:
The calling is for us to awaken and live our lives after the example of Christ. In Revelation 3:2-3, we read, “Wake up, and strengthen what remains and is on the point of death, for I have not found your works perfect in the sight of my God. Remember what you received and heard; obey it, and repent. If you do not wake up, I will come like a thief, and you will not know at what hour I will come to you.” For transformation to come in our individual lives bringing transformation to the Church and then transformation to our community, requires us to wake-up. We must surrender our lives to Christ and witness the power of Christ transforming our sleepiness into a life of evangelism, mission, and discipleship—“what we received and heard.”
As a ministry, we want to work for this awakening through our proclamation ministry, our mission ministry, and our ongoing work in discipleship development and teaching. It is time to awaken from the stupor and to live life for Jesus!
Prayer: Lord, waken me from my stupor and sleep. Forgive me for seeking comfort as more important than my following you. Help me to live my life for you. In Jesus’ name. Amen.