Oct 28 – AWAKE, SHINE!

“Awake, you who sleep, arise from the dead, and Christ will give you light” (Ephesians 5:14).
Now is the time for us to act fast. Can we sleep at this hour in which we are supposed to act fast? Now is the time in which we have to rise and shine for God. Is it not? The Scripture is hurrying you up saying, “Awake, you who sleep, arise from the dead.”
Today, many churches are sleeping. Irresponsibility is the reason for this. As satan sings lullaby to sleep, the believers are dreaming in the dizziness of sermons. The believers are affected by sinful attractions like cinema.
David prayed with tears saying, “Consider and hear me, O Lord my God; enlighten my eyes, lest I sleep the sleep of death” (Psalm 13:3). Will you also pray in the same way?
Meditate the sleep of Samson. Indeed, he was a man of God, one chosen by God and one who abided by the Nazirite vows. He was the one called to judge Israel. But, amidst all these good things, the spirit of adultery caught hold of his heart. He ran towards Delilah, a harlot.
The Scripture says, “Then she lulled him to sleep on her knees, and called for a man and had him shave off the seven locks of his head. Then she began to torment him, and his strength left him” (Judges 16:19). He, who was supposed to rise and shine for God, had to abort his run halfway through.
Look at the sleep of Elijah. What a powerful prophet of God, he was! He was the one to challenge Baal’s prophets numbering four hundred and fifty and prove that the Lord is God.
But, even he was affected by mental weariness. He began to sleep under a broom tree. But, God did not allow him to do so. God strengthened him by sending an angel and telling him that the journey was too great for him. When there are so many things to be done for God, do not waste your time sleeping.
Look at the incident of Jonah going to sleep. The burden of soul did not press him. If he had gone to Nineveh obeying the command of God, he might have gained numerous souls. Instead of obeying God, he gave importance to sleep. Dear children of God, wake up and shine for God.
To meditate: “Simon, are you sleeping? Could you not watch one hour? Watch and pray, lest you enter into temptation” (Mark 14:37, 38).