We don’t normally make a practice of giving our pooch people food. But, during SNOVID, rules are meant to be broken. And so began my doggie experiment…… I placed a nice size chunk of leftover steak in front of my dog’s nose, who was in deep REM sleep. Nothing happened. Maybe a slight twitch of the nose. That’s it.
All at once, Chara popped up to a sitting position. Left over steak still sitting there. I literally had to say “Chara, look!” and she finally noticed the steak. A one-second gobble and it was gone.
How could Chara not smell the yummy steak? Was she so out of it after a busy day in the snow, that she missed the most important food snack EVER? Why did it take her so long to notice this amazing, scrumptious snack?
Ephesians 5:14 would be fitting for Chara, but way more significant for us humans. It says “Wake up, O sleeper, rise from the dead, and Christ will shine on you.” What is Paul talking about in this passage? Paul is literally telling us to “WAKE-UP!” We are to arise and walk as directed by the Lord. We are to take our relationship with Christ seriously and walk in union with Him.
We are prone to be just like Chara…. sound asleep while a great piece of steak lay there waiting to be enjoyed. We can be so afraid of progressing in our faith with Jesus Christ that we just resist Him. We know He’s right under our nose and basically all around us. However, we lay in wait, hoping we can just go about our life, running it our way.
Waking up involves taking a stark look at your life and how it’s going. Waking up involves asking the hard question “Why am I resisting Christ?” Waking up involves no longer using the same excuse “Christians behave badly” and instead, engaging in your own personal faith journey. Waking up involves not being afraid to participate in healthy spiritual conversations with other people….in a safe, caring and loving environment where it’s ok to question.
May I add one more verse? The very next verse says this in Ephesians 5:15 “Be very careful, then, how you live- not as unwise but as wise, making the most of every opportunity, because the days are evil.” Stop. Pause. Take this in! Be careful. How do you live? Are you quick to judge others? Tear others down rather than build up? Quick to get angry? Quick to gossip? Attack others on social media? Hold unforgiveness? Now, more than ever, God is calling us to a new way to live. Awake! Rise Up! Shine!
All at once, Chara popped up to a sitting position. Left over steak still sitting there. I literally had to say “Chara, look!” and she finally noticed the steak. A one-second gobble and it was gone.
How could Chara not smell the yummy steak? Was she so out of it after a busy day in the snow, that she missed the most important food snack EVER? Why did it take her so long to notice this amazing, scrumptious snack?
Ephesians 5:14 would be fitting for Chara, but way more significant for us humans. It says “Wake up, O sleeper, rise from the dead, and Christ will shine on you.” What is Paul talking about in this passage? Paul is literally telling us to “WAKE-UP!” We are to arise and walk as directed by the Lord. We are to take our relationship with Christ seriously and walk in union with Him.
We are prone to be just like Chara…. sound asleep while a great piece of steak lay there waiting to be enjoyed. We can be so afraid of progressing in our faith with Jesus Christ that we just resist Him. We know He’s right under our nose and basically all around us. However, we lay in wait, hoping we can just go about our life, running it our way.
Waking up involves taking a stark look at your life and how it’s going. Waking up involves asking the hard question “Why am I resisting Christ?” Waking up involves no longer using the same excuse “Christians behave badly” and instead, engaging in your own personal faith journey. Waking up involves not being afraid to participate in healthy spiritual conversations with other people….in a safe, caring and loving environment where it’s ok to question.
May I add one more verse? The very next verse says this in Ephesians 5:15 “Be very careful, then, how you live- not as unwise but as wise, making the most of every opportunity, because the days are evil.” Stop. Pause. Take this in! Be careful. How do you live? Are you quick to judge others? Tear others down rather than build up? Quick to get angry? Quick to gossip? Attack others on social media? Hold unforgiveness? Now, more than ever, God is calling us to a new way to live. Awake! Rise Up! Shine!
If you want to dialogue about this Start Up or receive prayer, please email me: Nancya@ymcasatx.org. I welcome it!
Nancy Abbott is the Chaplain of the YMCA of Greater San Antonio.
No comments:
Post a Comment