PUTTING ON CHRIST "And do this, knowing the time, that now it is high time to awake out of sleep; for now our salvation is nearer than when we first believed. The night is far spent, the day is at hand. Therefore let us cast off the works of darkness, and let us put on the armor of light. Let us walk properly, as in the day, not in revelry and drunkenness, not in lewdness and lust, not in strife and envy. But put on the Lord Jesus Christ, and make no provision for the flesh, to fulfill its lusts." (Romans 13:11-14, NKJV) Devotion 11 of 33 – Tomorrow:
" . . . that now it is high time to awake out of sleep . . . "
See what a sense of urgency attends this text! It has a spirit that calls for our attention. The Word of the Living God not only contains facts, but it also has a spirit or tone. This is involved in our Lord's saying, "the words that I speak unto you, they are spirit, and they are life" (John 6:63). A lack of response to the Word of the Lord is always wrong. It is never right to be neutral about something the Lord has said – particularly of something He demands.
Not only does the nature of the Word of the Lord demand our attention, there are TIMES when it is especially important to respond immediately, zealously, and with godly determination. Our text speaks of such a time: "it is high time to awake out of sleep." Other versions read, "it is already THE HOUR for you to awaken from sleep" (NASB), "THE HOUR has come for you to wake up from your slumber" (NIV), "it is FULL TIME now for you to wake from sleep" (RSV), and "it is now THE MOMENT for you to wake from sleep" (NRSV).
An immediate response is required. This is NOT the time to be asleep, insensitive, and unresponsive to the Word of the Lord. This is a time when sleep is lethal and a lack of alertness is a snare. This is the time to be awake! It is the time to be alert and knowledgeable! "Time is running out" (NLT), and it is time to "stop sleeping and wake up" (NJB).
If you will hear it in an acceptable manner, the WAY God speaks will call for your immediate attention. Too often this perspective is missing in professed Christian circles. There is altogether too much casualness in the average church. Judging from the manner in which preachers preach, teachers teach, and listeners listen, you would conclude nothing of any consequence is imminent. It appears as though men think they have a lot of time – time to correct any flaws, time to make more plans, and time to do their own will. But this may not be the case at all, and woe to the person who proceeds in life as though such a view was true.
What is there about "the day of salvation" that lends itself to the notion that we have a lot of time, or that nothing of any consequence or significance is about to take place? What note is there in the Gospel of Christ that carries such a melody? What Apostolic writing leads people to believe there is no need to be alert, active, and full of faith? No person of understanding will contend that such impressions are found in anything God has either said or done in Christ Jesus.
Yet, these very conditions prevail in the average church. Even among many in the early churches to whom the Apostles wrote, these attitudes were present. They were out of order then, and they are even more out of order now. It is not right to treat such frames of mind as though they were tolerable and unimportant. A religion that abides such indifference cannot be from God, lacks the Spirit of God, and is actually hostile against Him.
The "sleep" of reference is equivalent to spiritual DEATH. It is a state in which there is no safety – no Divine protection! Elsewhere we are admonished, "AWAKE thou that sleepest, and ARISE FROM THE DEAD, and Christ shall give thee light" (Eph 5:14). The prophet Isaiah sounded a similar warning, "AWAKE, awake; put on thy strength, O Zion; put on thy beautiful garments" (Isa 52:1). The church at Corinth was admonished, "AWAKE to righteousness, and sin not" (1 Cor 15:34). The Thessalonians were told, "Therefore let us not sleep, as do others; but let us watch and be sober. For they that sleep sleep in the night" (1 Thess 5:6-7). Solemnly the Lord said to His disciples, "Watch ye therefore: for ye know not when the master of the house cometh, at even, or at midnight, or at the cockcrowing, or in the morning: lest coming suddenly he find you sleeping" (Mark 13:35-36).
"Sleep," in this case, is another view of unbelief. It is a state of soul where God and the things of God are not dominant. In such a condition, our "adversary the devil" gains the upper hand, the world becomes more alluring, and the things of God appear less necessary. It is an unspeakably dangerous state in which to be found.
However, this circumstance notwithstanding, there is grace to remedy the plight. The word is simply to "AWAKE out of sleep." And how can such a thing be accomplished? It seems contradictory to speak of someone immersed in spiritual sleep to awake from it, being instantly alert and aware of the surroundings of grace. The condition is something like Jesus telling a paralytic, "Take up thy bed and go unto thine house" (Matt 9:6). Or, like Jesus telling a man with a withered hand to stretch it out (Matt 12:13). Or, it is like Peter saying to a man lame from his mother's womb, "rise up and walk" (Acts 3:6).
In each of these cases, at the precise point the individual believed, and became willing to do what he was told, God enabled the response to take place. Thus the paralytic picked up his bed and went home, the man with the withered hand stretched it forth, and the man lame from his mother's womb stood up and walked, even leaping and praising God!
Thus will it be with the individuals who dare to take the word of our text to heart. Though sleep has come upon them, if they will hear this word – "It is high time to awake out of sleep" – and will take it to heart, they will be able to shake the dust of spiritual sleep from themselves, rising to glorify God and walk in the light of life.
PRAYER POINT: Father, I thank You through Jesus Christ for the quickening power of Your good word.