When you think about it, sleep is a very strange thing. We’ve been doing it since we were born, and studies show infants sleep even in the womb. They say you will spend a
third of your life in this state. As I
get older, I find myself sleeping more.
When possible, I like a short nap after lunch, although these short naps
seem to be getting longer all the time.
But consider for a minute the state of sleep:
- We are
removed from the day-to-day realities.
- We may
have dreams that take us on exciting or scary adventures.
- We are
in a state of vulnerability. (A thief could break in and steal).
- We do
not have full control of our faculties. (People sometimes hurt themselves while
sleepwalking).
The Bible often uses sleeping as a metaphor for spiritual
sluggishness. We are admonished to
"wake up". Here are few of the
most notable examples:
“Behold, I am coming like a thief. Blessed is the one
who stays awake and keeps his clothes, so that he will not walk about naked
and men will not see his shame.” (Rev 16:15)
Do this, knowing the time, that it is already
the hour for you to awaken from sleep; for now salvation is nearer to us
than when we believed. The night is almost gone, and the day is near. Therefore
let us lay aside the deeds of darkness and put on the armor of light. (Ro
13:11-12)
But you, brethren, are not in darkness, that the
day would overtake you like a thief; for you are all sons of light and sons of
day. We are not of night nor of darkness; so then let us not sleep as others
do, but let us be alert and sober. For those who sleep do their sleeping at
night, and those who get drunk get drunk at night. But since we are of the day,
let us be sober, having put on the breastplate of faith and love, and as a
helmet, the hope of salvation. (1 Thess 5:4-8)
‘Wake up, and strengthen the things that remain,
which were about to die; for I have not found your deeds completed in the sight
of My God. ‘So remember what you have received and heard; and keep it, and
repent. Therefore 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. (Rev 3:2-3)
Spiritual sleep seems to be associated with dullness,
drunkenness, and callousness to sin. The
sleeping Christian will not be sensitive to the Lord's direction in their
lives. They will be dull of hearing when
reading His Word. They will have no
compassion for the lost.
In short, the
sleeping Christian is missing out on the great adventure of knowing Christ and
making Him known.
So, ask yourself, "Am I truly awake or am I asleep in Christ?"
As we consider these things, we may ask, “Doesn’t the
Lord love the sleeping Christian as well as those awake? “Of course he does. We
could never add to or take away from the infinite love of God in Christ. God loves His child whether awake or
asleep. But why would we want to sleep
through the wonderful life God has given us in Christ?
It’s a bit like going on a honeymoon and your spouse sleeps
through the entire week.
The Lord loves us with a jealous love, and he wants our love
in return. He knows that we need to live in His love, experiencing His presence
day by day, walking with Him and enjoying the life He’s given us.
The sleeping Christian may be enjoying his dreams but
think of all that he’s missing. The awake Christian is quick to perceive sin in
their life, quick to perceive the lies of the evil one, quick to confess sin.
He is quick to repent and to walk in the power of the Spirit. He is open and
responsive to the Lord. He is living the great adventure for which God created
him.
“I came that they may have life, and have it
abundantly.” – Jesus (John 10:10b)
So which are you- awake or asleep?
And which do you want to be?
For this reason it says, “Awake, sleeper, And
arise from the dead, And Christ will shine on you.” (Eph 5:14)
All passages in this post were taken from New American
Standard Bible: 1995 Update (La Habra, CA: The Lockman Foundation, 1995).
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