Asleep at the Wheel

Daily Reading: Revelation 3

Wake up, and strengthen what remains and is about to die, for I have not found your works complete in the sight of my God. Remember, then, what you received and heard. Keep it, and repent. If you will not wake up, I will come like a thief, and you will not know at what hour I will come against you. (Revelation 3.2-3)

Devotional Thought: You've heard it said before: "That church is really alive!"  Perhaps you've said it yourself.  An important question, however, is what can be done for the church that isn't alive?  How can that church be stirred up?  Even more personal, how can a sleepy Christian be stirred?

Jesus had some specific instructions to the sleepy church in Sardis and for us, too:

• Wake up!  Have you ever gotten sleepy while driving?  I know I have.  It is very dangerous to be asleep at the wheel. Apart from the immediate danger of driving across the center line or off the road, we also are unable to react properly and timely.  We stand a greater chance of getting confused and lost.  So we need to wake up!

• Strengthen what remains!  The Sardinians were not completely dead.  There was some life in them, but it was buried very deep under their sleeping exterior.  They needed to get “in touch” with that kernel of life and revive it!

• Remember!  Whenever we find ourselves sleepy, it is good to recall the message and conviction we experienced at the beginning.  We need to get back to a sense of desperation for God!

• Obey!  The Spirit has been working in our lives, speaking into our hearts, yet in our drowsy state we have not responded.  We need to obey!

• Repent!  As long as we are not convinced that our sleepiness is a problem, we will not do anything about it; we will keep on napping.  We need to be honest about our lack of life and turn away from being a sleepy Christian!

Are you asleep at the wheel?  Wake up!

Prayer: Lord, forgive me for being asleep at the wheel.  Help me to hear your voice, to remember spiritual moments in my life and to rouse my spirit with those memories.  Help me to repent and obey that I might truly be alive!  Help my church to be alive, too.  Amen.

Psalm of the Day: Psalm 103:15-22

15 The life of mortals is like grass, they flourish like a flower of the field;

16 the wind blows over it and it is gone, and its place remembers it no more.

17 But from everlasting to everlasting the LORD’s love is with those who fear him, and his righteousness with their children’s children—

18 with those who keep his covenant and remember to obey his precepts.

19 The LORD has established his throne in heaven, and his kingdom rules over all.

20 Praise the LORD, you his angels, you mighty ones who do his bidding, who obey his word.

21 Praise the LORD, all his heavenly hosts, you his servants who do his will.

22 Praise the LORD, all his works everywhere in his dominion. Praise the LORD, my soul.