“Anyone with ears to hear must listen to the Spirit and understand what He is saying to the churches.” (Revelation 2:7a NLT)
The first and most important place to look for “slumbering” believers is in the mirror. Who are “slumbering” believers? They are those who profess faith in Jesus but have “fallen asleep at the proverbial wheel” of their faith. We can get to the point in our walk with the Lord that our attitude seems to be: “I’ve got this Christianity thing! I know how it works, and I know how to work it.” Which basically translates: “I’m in my ‘groove’ and nothing or no one is going to change my mind.”
And please understand, I’m not pointing fingers. I’ve been there and understand not only how it happens, but what to do when it happens. The biggest issue as I understand it, is intellectual. We figure things out in our mind, but, unfortunately, they don’t always equate with what’s in our heart.
For example, for many years, even as a Pastor, I had a “working” relationship with the Lord. I spent time in prayer and reading the Bible, but it was, almost without exception, a means to an end for me. What does that mean? I read and studied because I had to prepare for something, it wasn’t simply to get to know the Lord better or even to build my personal walk with Him.
On some levels I was in “survivor” or “performance” mode. Yes, of course, I loved God and wanted to please Him, but there were times the persons I most wanted to please were the ones staring back at me on a Sunday morning. When I was completely honest, the ones who decided whether I would stay or leave.
However, since retiring, I’ve now been liberated to love God because He’s God. My “quiet” time extends throughout my day. My communion with the Lord isn’t only when I’m in a formal posture of prayer or even when I’m reading His Word, but every second of every day I’m longing for His presence; looking for Him in the ordinary events of the day; seeing Him at work in people and places I never imagined He’d be.
Many today are “slumbering” because they haven’t learned how to “wake up.” They haven’t yet discovered what it means to “love God with their whole heart, mind, soul, and strength.” The haven’t yet allowed the Lord to captivate their heart and mind and channel their every thought through the filter of the throne room of the Most Holy God.
When we’re living for an audience of One, the heart of the matter becomes our accountability to Him. Yes, of course, we care what others think to a degree, but that’s not what governs or motivates how we live. Thinking that way is liberating, yet restrictive. How so?
It’s liberating in the sense that I can love everyone without obligation to believe what they believe or see things the way they view them. We can agree to disagree on nonessentials and still fight side-by-side for the souls of our friends and loved ones.
When you boil it down, no one – NOT ONE – person who has lived, is living, or will ever live, except Jesus, has perfect understanding of the Bible, or anything else for that matter. Our understanding is limited to what we’re given. So, it stands to reason, the closer we are to Jesus, the more understanding He’s going to give us, thus the reason He may choose us to send a clarion call to anyone who has grown lazy or is “slumbering” when they should be fully awake and engaged in the fight for souls to Christ’s honor and fame.
Food for thought.
Blessings, Ed 😊
Walking With Jesus 