The hour has already come for you to wake up from your slumber, because our salvation is nearer now than when we first believed. The night is nearly over; the day is almost here. So let us put aside the deeds of darkness and put on the armor of light. Let us behave decently, as in the daytime, not in carousing and drunkenness, not in sexual immorality and debauchery, not in dissension and jealousy. Rather, clothe yourselves with the Lord Jesus Christ, and do not think about how to gratify the desires of the flesh.
Romans 13:11-14
Wake-up Call
Perhaps you have stayed at a hotel that offers a wake-up call service as one of its amenities. You call the front desk and let them know the time you would like to wake up. They take down your information and give you a call at the proper time so you won't miss any important meetings or appointments.
But there are other kinds of wake-up calls as well. A 45-year-old coworker has chest pains and is taken by ambulance to the hospital with a heart attack. It is a wake-up call that reminds you to take care of your own health. A head-on collision sends five teens to the hospital. Preliminary investigation shows one of the drivers was texting. It is a wake-up call for teens and adults alike to consider how they use electronic devices when they are driving.
Wake-up calls jolt us. They open our eyes. They make us realize that we have gotten shortsighted, lazy and too comfortable in an unhealthy or unsafe situation. Wake-up calls implore us to action.
Our reading for today is another type of wake-up call. It is a wake-up call from God. With these words God shakes us and reminds us that this world will not last forever and the time that we will leave it draws closer each day. The problem is that we get consumed with physical things and the concerns of this life. Our conduct shows this as we engage in sinful activities that reflect our shortsighted selfish focus. We gratify the desires of the flesh. We do things that make us feel good in the moment without realizing the disastrous results they have for our current relationship with God and our eternal future. We need to wake up!
But God not only tells us to wake up, but also to get dressed. We are to clothe ourselves with the Lord Jesus Christ. The first part of being clothed with Jesus is to believe in him. We clothe ourselves with Jesus as we confess our sin to God and receive the forgiveness that Jesus has won for us. God tells us that Jesus' righteousness is like a robe that we put on through faith. When God looks at us, he sees this robe we have in Jesus. He no longer sees the wrong that we have done, but rather the perfection that Jesus has given to us.
We will also begin to clothe ourselves with good works. Remember that clothes are what other people see when they look at us. When people look at us, they can't see a changed heart, but they can definitely see a changed life that follows a changed heart. We will live a life that shows our thanks and love for God as well as a life that shows love to others. No longer will we be spiritually sleepwalking through life, but our actions will show the spiritual awakening that has taken place inside of us.
I don't know if Jesus will return to this earth before I die. But what I do know is that the day of my death or the day of Jesus' return—whichever comes first, is one day closer than it was yesterday. But I don't need to be afraid of this day and neither do you. In Jesus, we are awake. We live by faith. We are ready.
Prayer:
Lord, thank you for sending me a wake-up call. Through your Holy Spirit, lead me to live a life that reflects your great love for me. Amen.
All Scripture quotations, unless otherwise indicated, are taken from the Holy Bible, New International Version®, NIV®. Copyright ©1973, 1978, 1984 by Biblica, Inc.™ Used by permission of Zondervan. All rights reserved worldwide.
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