P31W: The Danger of Snoozing (Part 3)

Proverbs 31:16 "She rises while it is yet night and provides food for her household and portions for her maidens."

 We've talked about how the Proverbs 31 Woman rises early and denies herself to serve others. We've talked about how she plans her sleep and has been noted in the Bible for it (wowzers).

I think there is yet another point that the girls of the 21st century can get from this verse about the P31W. So let's see...

Did you know that you can spiritually snooze? Not literally "sleep", but be spiritually deadened and unaware.

When we are physically sleeping, we don't hear the noises we would recognize when we are awake. We don't heart he clock strike 2a.m. and think, "Oh, it's two o'clock in the morning." We don't react to the refrigerator's ice tray emptying very loud, whereas when we are awake, we might jump. This is why, typically, robbers come at night. To take people off guard.

Can we be this way spiritually? I think so.

We can "snooze" when it comes to our walk with Christ, serving and seriousness of our sin. We can become unaware of things going on. And worst of all, not prepare for the day of Jesus Christ's return.

1 Thessalonians 5:2 "for you know very well that the day of the Lord will come like a thief in the night."

We must be looking forward to, and readying ourselves for the day of Christ's return and not let it sneak up on us like a thief. We MUST live like Christ will return any second and be waiting for Him!

Here is a powerful verse from Mark 13:

35-37 "Therefore stay awake—for you do not know when the master of the house will come, in the evening, or at midnight, or when the rooster crows, or in the morning— lest he come suddenly and find you asleep. And what I say to you I say to all: Stay awake.”

Another great translation, KJV says, "I say unto all, watch!"

Obviously, God isn't telling us to physically stay awake. That would be a bit impossible. So He must be referring to spiritually sleeping. We must not fall asleep spiritually because we will not be ready for the Lord's return and we will find that we have done nothing with our lives or worse, that we never prepared for Him and have to spend eternity away from Christ. (See the parable of the ten virgins in Matthew 25. This is a great illustration, but I don't have the room in this post to talk about it!)

So, this brings a question: What is deadening us or making us "fall asleep" spiritually? What is working against us in our journey of purity and Christ-likeness? The answers may come immediately to you. For some it's boy obsession, beauty, facebook, movies, or laziness. For others, it may be harder to pin-point exactly what is distracting us. It could be our selfish pride fooling us into believing that we don't need prayer time in the morning. Whatever it is, me must recognize it and make sure that they don't get higher priority in our lives than God.

The day of Christ's return is coming fast, so we have to watch for Him, making ready ourselves and telling others of His return as well. We don't know when it will be, so don't be lazy and let time sneak up on you! Be waiting and don't be distracted!