Do you sleep well? How easily do you wake up in a morning? Are you one of those people who are awake before the alarm goes off? Or are you one who has to have three alarms set before you even stir?
Waking up is a daily experience for us all. Some of us bounce out of bed like Tigger, instantly awake and alert.
Some of us seem more like zombies in a morning, rousing gradually, needing copious amounts of caffeine to even begin to function.
The Bible says that God wakens us ‘morning by morning, wakens my ear to listen like one being instructed.’ (Is 50:4) We are urged repeatedly in Scripture to ‘wake up from your slumber, because our salvation is nearer now than when we first believed.’ (Rom 13:11) Paul says, ‘Wake up, sleeper, rise from the dead, and Christ will shine on you.’ (Eph 5:14) The Holy Spirit spoke to one church, saying, ‘Wake up! Strengthen what remains and is about to die, for I have found your deeds unfinished in the sight of my God.’ (Rev 3:2)
Now is not the time to sleep. It’s not night-time. We are children of the day and we should be awake and sober. (1 Thess 5:6) We belong to the day and need to be fully dressed in the armour of God for the battle ahead. (Eph 6:10-18)
“Since we belong to the day, let us be sober, putting on faith and love as a breastplate and the hope of salvation as a helmet.” (1 Thess 5:8)
We need to wake up, to rise from our slumber and engage in spiritual warfare, interceding for our world before the throne of God, pleading with God for mercy. The ancient message to Israel still applies: “Awake, awake, Zion, clothe yourself with strength! Put on your garments of splendour, Jerusalem, the holy city. The uncircumcised and defiled will not enter you again. Shake off your dust; rise up, sit enthroned, Jerusalem. Free yourself from the chains on your neck, Daughter Zion, now a captive.” (Is 52:1-2)
