"Why are you sleeping?" he asked them. "Get up and pray, so that you will not give in to temptation." -Luke 22:46 (NLT)
There are many examples where maintaining a high state of alertness is necessary and critical. A soldier in enemy territory cannot afford to ease up as long as danger might be right around the next corner. A surgeon must stay fully conscious of, and concentrated on, what he is doing in the operating room.
An pilot of a passenger airliner has to be prepared and ready for any type of situation or emergency. The safety of his passengers and crew depend on it. Even the average, everyday driver needs to be aware at all times of not only himself, but the other drivers on the road, too.
Our world is full of potentially dangerous events if we become careless and indifferent to them. Throughout our lives, we've all been told things like: be alert, stay vigilant, keep your eyes open, and watch out, in regards to various aspects of our lives, especially when it comes to our safety.
We really should apply the same cautiousness in our religious lives, as well. It is far too easy to reach a certain level of comfort and become nonchalant. When one reaches this juncture they might tend to let their guard down, which leaves them wide open to temptation and then sin. The topic of alertness, in various situations, is mentioned many times in the Bible.
1 Thessalonians 5:6 (NLT) warns us to, " ...be on your guard, not asleep like the others. Stay alert and be clearheaded." One of my personal favorites is this verse found in 1 Peter 5:8 (NLT), "Stay alert! Watch out for your great enemy, the devil. He prowls around like a roaring lion, looking for someone to devour.
1 Corinthians 16:13 (NLT) says to, "Be on guard. Stand firm in the faith. Be courageous. Be strong." I could go on and on all day long with verses just like these. But I think you can see how crucial it is for the believer to stay on their toes and never give in to the temptation to just kick-back in their faith.
No one is immune from feeling too confident (or should I say, too cocky) in their spiritual life. Believe me, it's not that hard to do. But it's right about this time that it can all fall apart on you. It's a short walk from self-confidence, to temptation, then sin. So how do we keep ourselves running at optimum, spiritual performance in order to avoid, or remedy this?
The short answer is: watch and pray. That's right! In other words, keep your head up, eyes open, and pray, pray, pray! Luke 21:36 (NLT) stresses, "Keep alert at all times. And pray that you might be strong enough to escape these coming horrors and stand before the Son of Man."
To help awaken and revitalize your heart, "Devote yourselves to prayer with an alert mind and a thankful heart" as it is written in Colossians 4:2(NLT). Just cruising along is great if you're taking a road trip. However, if you do this with your faith and belief in Our Lord, you are definitely headed for trouble!
In closing, don't fall asleep at the wheel when it comes to God! Stay alert, be wary, and stay sharp. Sin never falls down on the job, nor does it slack off. Be intelligent about this. "Pray in the Spirit at all times and on every occasion. Stay alert and be persistent in your prayers for all believers everywhere" Ephesians 6:18.
Scripture: 1 Peter 1:13; Mark 14:38; 1 John 1:8; Matthew 24:13; Ephesians 6:12
Have a blessed Monday!
Hailey
No comments:
Post a Comment
Note: Only a member of this blog may post a comment.