Therefore let us not sleep, as do others; but let us watch and be sober ~ 1 Thessalonians 5:6
There have been moments in my life that have provoked drastic change, usually for the better.
One of those times was late one night while I was living in southern West Virginia. In high school, I lived in a rural mountain town called Mullens.
Finding work often requires a commute.
So while juggling school, athletics, and a personal life, I decided to pick up a job in one of the closest towns- Beckley.
For those unfamiliar or rusty on their West Virginia geography, at the time, this was an over half hour drive.
Many times I worked around 45 hours a week and had to work the closing shift in order to get any kind of work and maintain some semblance of a private life.
Now the stage is set. I was driving home one night (Or technically morning) over a rather mountainous area of West Virginia.
I had the windows up, the heat on, tired out of my mind, radio off.
The ride was going well, nothing was different than normal-
Then I woke up.
At the last part of a windy road known locally as Slab Fork, I was heading up a hill and for a cliff. It was nearly the end. Half of my Jeep was off the road and in gravel, and it took a good effort to steer my car back to the safety of the road.
Recalling this experience, there were a few habits (Whether I realized or not) that changed. It was around this time, that on my wrestling team, that I stopped cutting weight as much as wrestled a healthier weight class.
Unless it was raining, I kept my windows down at night so the wind could restore my tiredness.
Shamefully, this began my energy drink addiction.
I say all this to say this, there are times that your rhythms will null you to sleepwalk through life. You will seemingly be alert and sound, then confused on what steps you took to get where you are.
Just know, I understand.
Through the centuries, people have come up with different formulas and ideas for removing these periods of comatose; however, let me suggest this.
Focus on getting home. In a physical sense, this was my problem. I had lost sight of my loved ones waiting for me at home.
In a spiritual sense, it’s a problem all Christians face. The world battles for the Christian’s attention and sometimes succeeds in subconsciously telling them that this world is their home.
But it is not.
The apostle Paul constantly confronted those who were growing weary of the Heavenly destination and therefore encouraged them with instructions such as the following:
Teaching us that, denying ungodliness and worldly lusts, we should live soberly, righteously, and godly, in this present world;
Looking for that blessed hope, and the glorious appearing of the great God and our Saviour Jesus Christ;
Who gave himself for us, that he might redeem us from all iniquity, and purify unto himself a peculiar people, zealous of good works (Titus 2:12-14).
Or-
But ye, brethren, are not in darkness, that that day should overtake you as a thief.
Ye are all the children of light, and the children of the day: we are not of the night, nor of darkness.
Therefore let us not sleep, as do others; but let us watch and be sober (1 Thessalonians 5:4-6).
It is often heard to “live in the moment.” I will not deny that we should. But let me take this phrase further.
“Live in the moment, keep Heaven in sight”
Much like driving, when you forget where you are going, the drive becomes much longer and prone to problems.
We are children of light and children of the day, living in the radiance of God’s glory and grace (John 1:14; 2 Corinthians 3:18). So, let’s be alert.
Stay awake, make your pit stops, and speak with those who do not share your hope and have nowhere to go (Titus 2:14).