I Thessalonians 5:4 But ye, brethren, are not in darkness, that that day should overtake you as a thief. 5 Ye are all the children of light, and the children of the day: we are not of the night, nor of darkness. 6 Therefore let us not sleep, as do others; but let us watch and be sober. 7 For they that sleep sleep in the night; and they that be drunken are drunken in the night. 8 But let us, who are of the day, be sober, putting on the breastplate of faith and love; and for an helmet, the hope of salvation. 9 For God hath not appointed us to wrath, but to obtain salvation by our Lord Jesus Christ, 10 Who died for us, that, whether we wake or sleep, we should live together with him.
Rain on the Roof
Rainy winter days have finally come to us in Mississippi. The heavy rain coming down makes a lot of us just want to stay in bed and sleep all day, doesn't it? Listen to the rhythm of the falling rain......pitter patter pitter patter. Seems I can hear that song playing in my mind and wait what else is that I hear?"Get up, or you're going to sleep your life away!" Yes, that would be my mother's voice and perhaps my own saying the exact same thing to my kids.
Sleeping is an easy way out of a lot of things that we don't really care to face, but also a sure way to lose out on a lot of things that will benefit us in the long run. We need to confront each day head-on bright-eyed and bushy-tailed. "Don't back down. Stand your ground." That too was my mom's voice giving me advice.
Our time here is short. Some do just kind of sleep through life as though nothing is worth putting any effort into. Some become so down and defeated that they decide there is no use trying. This is a deep spiritual sleep which is a very dangerous place to be - a dark place I found myself in at one point in my life. But thank God, He woke me up and rescued me from doom, death, and destruction.
In the scripture in Thessalonians we find we are called not to sleep as others, but to be watchful and sober wearing a breastplate of faith and love and a helmet of our hope of salvation through Christ - whom we live with whether we are awake or asleep. It is nice to know He is always with us no matter what. When we are awake spiritually in Christ we can take on anything that comes our way even on rainy days.
I love the quote that has been on many facebook pages lately - May I live the kind of life that when my feet hit the floor each day, satan says, 'Oh no, she's up!'
I Thessalonians 5:6 Therefore let us not sleep, as do others; but let us watch and be sober.
jbp