“ yesterday afternoon about three, I actually nodded off for a few seconds whilst driving,only to open my eyes as I was crossing the white line in middle of the road and heading towards a vehicle, we were both doing about sixty miles per hour,”
This facebook entry was written by a friend who was glad to have woken up in time!
There have been times when my husband has begun to fall asleep at the wheel on long tiring journeys, and I have been fighting to stay awake myself, talking to him and hoping we will arrive at our destination soon. It is so dangerous to drive while sleepy and sometimes little breaks for fresh air and coffee just don’t seem to do the trick. It is worse at night when it is dark and the lights of oncoming traffic mesmerise.
The same problem can arise on our spiritual journey. When we have been travelling for a while and the road is long, before we realise it we become a little sleepy and lose concentration. If we don’t recognise the warning signs we can fall asleep at the wheel. We are fortunate if we have a fellow traveller to keep us alert or at least yell when we begin to drift. Just as a sleeping driver will meander around on the road, we are inclined to drift around from lane to lane and can easily get off track. The worse case scenario is to leave the road altogether or crash into another vehicle.
“For this reason it says, “Awake, sleeper, And arise from the dead, And Christ will shine on you.”
Ephesians 5:14
Paul is warning the people about the danger of hidden sin and tells them to bring everything in to the light. Someone who is asleep is unaware of the danger he is in and unable to avoid it. If we become sleepy in our Christian life we may fail to recognise the danger we are in, or the temptations that are creeping up on us. We let our guard down when we relax and our brains drift into a passive state or begin to dream.
‘Wake up, and strengthen the things that remain, which were about to die; for I have not found your deeds completed in the sight of My God.
Revelation 3:2
Jesus warns the people to wake up and get moving, they have let things slide and although they have a reputation of being alive, they are about to die spiritually. He warned them that that they had not made it yet, they still had a way to go. Although He warned them to repent and obey, He also promised a reward for the ones who overcame their lethargy and responded.
This is a challenge for all of us who have been on the road for a while. We may be so used to the road and cruising along that we get mesmerised by the flashing lights and road noise that we are lulled into passivity. It is easy to get distracted, discouraged and weary after a while. Then it’s time to stop for a moment and rest. We should take time to refresh ourselves in God, to remind ourselves of the reason for our journey and our destination, so that when we set off again we will be alert and focussed.
So he did what the LORD had told him. He went to the Kerith Ravine, east of the Jordan, and stayed there. The ravens brought him bread and meat in the morning and bread and meat in the evening, and he drank from the brook.
1 Kings 17:5-6
God knew what Elijah needed, rest and refreshment and He provided both. So if you’re tired and a little bit sleepy, weary of the journey, why not take a break and spend a while in God’s presence, rest and receive strength for the next part of the journey. You’ll be glad you did.
