Sunday, we were in our second week of our series out of Revelation. And I asked, “Is God failing to hold our attention?” Why is it so easy to tune Him out during the course of our regular day and be excited about new technology or sporting events?
There’s a problem that so many of us, even those who would claim ourselves to be people of faith, find the credibility of the biblical story irrelevant to our average day. As if God if the universe, who reveals Himself so impressively in nature (Romans 1:19-20) gave us this boring old book to ignore as we go about living our “real lives.”
Most of us live our lives spiritually asleep.
Meanwhile, we’re in a culture that puts high priority on stimulants. Personally, I hate to count up the number of “boosts” I take to get through my day. There’s the mandatory stein of coffee that I have most mornings (c’mon! A “cup” is 12ozs. That tumbler you got is at least 20!), a the midday soda (32oz of half diet/half regular Coke with lots of ice) and the 3pm sugar crave that I have to struggle through.
In a culture that wired to be wired, where do we go to get a spiritual rush? How about a piping hot cup of worship? That’s right… Worship is the fuel that can get our hearts racing and open us to the reality that the Creator of all things (1) loves us, (2) has freed us from our sins and (3) given us purpose in the Kingdom to serve as his representatives. (Revelation 1:4-8)
If we feel, spiritually speaking, that we’re walking around half-asleep and barely conscious of the Lord’s presence, power and Person, then it’s not His fault! We need not to be convinced of His relevance… We need to be woken up to our relevance to His Story.
This is why, as a church, we are focused on Knowing God’s Story of love for all of His children (us). We want to be Living it out knowing that we are a freed people, which means we should have an overwhelming sense of gratitude, renewal and hope. And we want to be challenged about Sharing It with Others. As “kingdom & priests” we represent God’s work here as we do the work of mission and conduct our lives in worship—all with eyes filled with hope for next chapter of our Story; which is His glorious return.
But, we can’t. If we’re half asleep.
Remember what happened when the disciples were camped out in the garden just before Jesus was about to step into the chaos? They fell asleep. And the Lord didn’t prefer that then. I don’t think He’s big on his followers doing that now. (We’ll talk about Sabbath another time.) Meanwhile…
“Awake, O sleeper,
and arise from the dead,
and Christ will shine on you.”
(Ephesians 5:14)
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