Many Christians today – perhaps most Christians, are asleep, like Jonah in the ship while he fled from the mission God had given him. Are you concerned more about your day-to-day life, what to eat, where to live, how to sleep, what to do, mindless work, pay the bills, politics, sports, or other mindless distractions? Are you preoccupied with gossip, text messaging, video games, hanging with friends, eating, or worrying?
Where is God in your life? Is God at the forefront of everything you do? If so, what is the fruit of your labor? Are people being saved for Christ? Are people seeing your holiness and persuaded to turn from their wickedness, or are you just another person in the world? Are your daily acts of kindness revealing Christ and making you a positive example of a Christian? Or does anyone even know you are a Christian?
What are you doing to show God in your life to those who watch? If nothing, then you are asleep. Jesus told a parable in Matthew 25 about people like you who sleep. There were ten virgins. Some were prepared, whereas others were not. Night fell, and they slept. Suddenly the bridegroom showed up. The ones who were prepared had oil for their lights, but those unprepared did not. They could not go meet the bridegroom, and missed out on the wedding.
Jesus said that those who are fruitless will be cut off. John 15:2 says, “Every branch in Me that does not bear fruit He takes away; and every branch that bears fruit He prunes, that it may bear more fruit.”
Awake, you sleepers! For Romans 11:13 says,
12 The night is far spent, the day is at hand: let us therefore cast off the works of darkness, and let us put on the armour of light.
13 Let us walk honestly, as in the day; not in rioting and drunkenness, not in chambering and wantonness, not in strife and envying.
14 But put ye on the Lord Jesus Christ, and make not provision for the flesh, to fulfil the lusts thereof.”