Awake?

A whole pot of coffee.
A RedBull.
Chocolate covered espresso beans.
No-Doze pills.
A 40 oz. dose of Mountain Dew.
After that, you should be awake....RIGHT?!?
And yet, for some reason, we are still asleep, apathetic, and unaware of the times.

At least that's how it feels sometimes. What will it take to wake up?!?

Maybe we've heard too many lullaby sermons. Too many feel good words. Too much, "peace, peace, when there is no peace" worship. Gone to too many conferences. I'll be the first to say that I am thankful for the love of God--that the very nature of God is Love--cause I am nothing without it--a chief among sinners who desperately needs the gift Jesus gave to me. I am thankful for soaking times in His presence because I want to love on Him, hear His voice, just be with Him. But is His love soft? Or is it meant to catalyze? I think if we are really receiving His love, we wouldn't be asleep. We would be getting mobilized.

Because lovers speak. They share the most intimate things of their hearts with one another. They strategize together. They make plans for the future. They devise ways to be successful in the world. And their kisses empower one another with confidence and equip each other with weaponry. Pure love is a force to be reckoned with because it energizes you in ways you didn't know were possible. It gives you courage. It helps you tap into reservoirs of potential that you didn't know existed. Creative ideas come that shouldn't even be human because they seem so divine.

So why are we still asleep? Why are we choosing to avoid our lover, finding "better" things to do with our time? Why are we not listening to His voice? Jesus said, "Take heed, watch and pray; for you do not know when the time is....what I say to you, I way to all: Watch!" (mark 13:35-37)

Why did He tell us to watch? Because he understands battle. He knows what is necessary in order to walk victoriously--and that when we obey Him, we will always be led into victory. He knows that when we trust Him, He can gird us up like He did to Elijah--running faster than wind to beat Ahab to the gate. It's time to beat the enemy to the gate.

"So, God, awaken us...awaken me! Forgive us for complacency. Forgive us for feel good sermons that keep us passified in our seats and for idolizing ministers who we've put up on a pedestal. Forgive us for forsaking You and turning to idols of religion and the earthly strategies of man. Forgive us for mixing Your Word with the culture and not asking for the ancient paths. Give us ears to hear, eyes to see, hearts to understand, a hunger to really seek. God, we need Your Kingdom to come to earth! Align us with heaven. Invade every thought that we've had of You until we see You as You truly are. Amen."