Awaken from Sleep

Do this, knowing the time, that it is already the hour for you to awaken from sleep; for now salvation is nearer to us than when we believed. (Romans 13:11)

I would like to know what Paul was thinking when he placed this phrase into this passage. I decided to look up other references throughout the Bible that have to do with waking up from sleep and found some very interesting connections and implications. The following passage seems a little lengthy but I include much of it because the context is so important to perceiving the meaning of the highlighted verse. In this passage Joshua is representative of the people seeking to follow God – us. It also has interesting allusions to authority which is also the context of Romans thirteen.

And the angel of the LORD admonished Joshua, saying, "Thus says the LORD of hosts, 'If you will walk in My ways and if you will perform My service, then you will also govern My house and also have charge of My courts, and I will grant you free access among these who are standing here. 'Now listen, Joshua the high priest, you and your friends who are sitting in front of you--indeed they are men who are a symbol, for behold, I am going to bring in My servant the Branch. 'For behold, the stone that I have set before Joshua; on one stone are seven eyes. Behold, I will engrave an inscription on it,' declares the LORD of hosts, 'and I will remove the iniquity of that land in one day. 'In that day,' declares the LORD of hosts, 'every one of you will invite his neighbor to sit under his vine and under his fig tree.'" Then the angel who was speaking with me returned and roused me, as a man who is awakened from his sleep. He said to me, "What do you see?" And I said, "I see, and behold, a lampstand all of gold with its bowl on the top of it, and its seven lamps on it with seven spouts belonging to each of the lamps which are on the top of it; also two olive trees by it, one on the right side of the bowl and the other on its left side." (Zechariah 3:6 – 4:3)

Isn't it interesting that even though Zechariah was seeing profound things in vision about our relationship with God and about salvation that just then he transitioned to another whole level of reality. I believe that when we grasp the real truth about how God feels about us and treats us as demonstrated in this vision about Joshua that we too will suddenly find ourselves transitioning into a far more intense sense of reality that seems like waking up out of a dream. Then it will also be much easier to really see what is true reality.

Some eight days after these sayings, He took along Peter and John and James, and went up on the mountain to pray. And while He was praying, the appearance of His face became different, and His clothing became white and gleaming. And behold, two men were talking with Him; and they were Moses and Elijah, who, appearing in glory, were speaking of His departure which He was about to accomplish at Jerusalem. Now Peter and his companions had been overcome with sleep; but when they were fully awake, they saw His glory and the two men standing with Him. (Luke 9:28-32)

I see repeatedly throughout the stories of the Bible and particularly with these disciples that sleep seems to interfere with their ability to stay synchronized with the reality that Jesus lived within. In my own experience I have noticed many times that often when God is about to reveal something very important to me that I will feel a very strong sense of sleepiness overcoming me. It may be during a sermon or when I am meditating or some other time. But I sometimes realize that this sleepiness is not necessarily from physical tiredness as I am led to suppose but is somehow supernatural in that it is trying to prevent me from receiving a powerful blessing waiting for me. From the examples of the disciples I know that I need to resist this “overcoming” feeling and do whatever it takes to wake up and activate my mind and heart to be able to receive whatever it is God is waiting to impart to me.

This is not to say that every time I feel sleepy that I should fight it. God wants me to take care of my physical body properly and that includes getting healthy amounts of sleep. Too often our sleep is deprived because of poor choices we make in other areas of our life that keep us from resting enough. It may be choosing to be entertained late into the night or to allow worry to prevent us from resting. It may be failure to obey the laws of health in the ways we eat and so depriving our bodies of needed rest and nourishment. But sleep is also sometimes a tool of the enemy to block us from enjoying the privileges and opportunities for growth that God has in store for us at various times.

But all things become visible when they are exposed by the light, for everything that becomes visible is light. For this reason it says, "Awake, sleeper, And arise from the dead, And Christ will shine on you." (Ephesians 5:13-14)

There is so much in these various verses about sleep and being awake that I could not begin to unpack them. But I find it fascinating to put some of them together to see what kind of light begins to shine out of them in reference to the first verse listed from Romans. In this passage the element of light is introduced as contrasted with sleep. In fact, in several of these verses as well as the one from Romans, the idea of sleep is connected with darkness and night and something we need to get beyond in our spiritual experience. Growing effectively as a Christian means to move more and more into light of truth about God and about ourselves. To escape the problems of darkness we must introduce more light.

As the pregnant woman approaches the time to give birth, she writhes and cries out in her labor pains, Thus were we before You, O LORD. We were pregnant, we writhed in labor, we gave birth, as it seems, only to wind. We could not accomplish deliverance for the earth, nor were inhabitants of the world born. Your dead will live; their corpses will rise. You who lie in the dust, awake and shout for joy, for your dew is as the dew of the dawn, and the earth will give birth to the departed spirits. Come, my people, enter into your rooms and close your doors behind you; hide for a little while until indignation runs its course. For behold, the LORD is about to come out from His place to punish the inhabitants of the earth for their iniquity; and the earth will reveal her bloodshed and will no longer cover her slain. (Isaiah 26:17-21)

There is tremendous truths in these verses that is very important for us a God's people to assimilate. Our efforts and programs and determination to evangelize and save the world are exposed here as trying to give birth only to produce a lot of hot air. In essence, we are like the bones in Ezekiel's vision in Ezekiel 37 waiting to be reassembled and restored to life by the breath of God. When we receive that life from God we will then be empowered to be an unstoppable army that awakes and shouts for joy.

Arise, shine; for your light has come, and the glory of the LORD has risen upon you. For behold, darkness will cover the earth and deep darkness the peoples; but the LORD will rise upon you and His glory will appear upon you. Nations will come to your light, and kings to the brightness of your rising. Lift up your eyes round about and see; they all gather together, they come to you. Your sons will come from afar, and your daughters will be carried in the arms. Then you will see and be radiant, and your heart will thrill and rejoice; because the abundance of the sea will be turned to you, the wealth of the nations will come to you. A multitude of camels will cover you, the young camels of Midian and Ephah; all those from Sheba will come; they will bring gold and frankincense, and will bear good news of the praises of the LORD. (Isaiah 60:1-6)

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