14 March - Awake or Asleep?
“For God did not appoint us to suffer wrath but to receive salvation through our Lord Jesus Christ. He died for us so that, whether we are awake or asleep, we may live together with him. Therefore encourage one another and build each other up, just as in fact you are doing.”
1 Thessalonians 5:9-11
Some days the alarm clock goes off in the morning, and it feels like a sudden and rude awakening from our sweet slumbers, when we would rather be asleep than awake.
Awake or asleep are two very different states of being – we are either one or the other. When we are awake, we are conscious - we are aware of ourselves and others, and of the world around us. But when we are asleep, we are unconscious and unaware of ourselves and our surroundings.
In chapters 4 & 5, Paul refers to those who are awake and those who are asleep in two different ways: Firstly, in the metaphorical sense: those who are “asleep” are those who are dead (1 Thessalonians 4:13-15) - by contrast those who are “awake”, are those who are still alive (1 Thessalonians 4:15).
Secondly, Paul uses the words with a spiritual sense: he refers to some who are humanly alive but asleep (dead) to spiritual realities (1 Thessalonians 5:6); whereas Paul means that the Thessalonians are not to be asleep, but humanly alive of course, and awake (alive) to spiritual things.
Those who are spiritually awake are prepared and expectant of Christ’s coming (1 Thessalonians 5:8); these are the people who are living in the light and belong to the day. On the other hand, those who are spiritually asleep, are unprepared when Christ returns; these are people living in darkness, who belong to the night. To be found sleeping when we should be awake surely causes shame.
Paul is reminding and encouraging the Church that they are to be awake, alert and prepared for Christ’s coming, and confident that we are appointed to receive salvation through Christ (v.9). He reminds and encourages the Church that this is a salvation for all those who are in Christ, whether awake or asleep, living or departed, because of the death and resurrection of the Lord Jesus (v.10). And it is the glorious prospect of being with Christ always with which we can encourage one another (v.11).
I remember the school teacher who would bang on the table tell us “to wake up”, meaning to pay attention in the lesson! This is Paul’s goal to remind the church to be awake and attentive and standing firm in their faith and hope, so that they will not miss out on the coming salvation. Is he getting our attention?
Do we need a reminder about the dangers of being asleep to God – casual, complacent, contrary in our Christian living?
PONDER
Am I awake or asleep to the presence of God, awake or asleep to hear and respond to his voice, awake or asleep to living in readiness for Christ’s coming?
PROMISE
He died for us so that … we may live together with him.” (1 Thessalonians 5:10)
PRAYER
Lord, keep us watchful and faithful in his service as we wait for our salvation. Amen.
Article by the Rev David Cox, head of the Diocesan Spiritual Formation Platform and Spiritual Director of Wellspring Retreat House, Rawang. David was Vicar of All Saints’ Church, Taiping (1983-1988 and 2013-2015).