Have you ever missed an important event because you didn’t wake up on time? I have.
When I travel and I need to wake up early for an important meeting, I ask the hotel for a wake up call. I don’t fully trust my alarm clock. Actually, my alarm clock is a smartphone app, but I dread the possibility that it won’t wake me up. I’ve experienced the horror of waking up late and missing my flight.
Missing out on going to an important meeting can be devastating. Jesus told a parable about missing out on the kingdom of heaven. He said that it was like the 10 virgins waiting for the bridegroom (from Matthew 25). “The bridegroom was a long time in coming, and they all became drowsy and fell asleep” (v5). Well, falling asleep is not the real problem. Waking up on time so that we are prepared to go – that’s the problem.
“At midnight the cry rang out: ‘Here’s the bridegroom! Come out to meet him“ (v6). There’s the wake up call! We have been called to awaken from our spiritual slumber, repent of our wrong attitudes and behaviors and live our lives according to God”s will.
I have heard from so many people that Elijah was the influence in their lives that awakened them from spiritual slumber. One of his friends wrote to me after Elijah’s death:
I am awake now. He has allowed me to find myself and my purpose. The way I look at life is completely different, I am motivated with purpose, I feel I have no limits. I feel that you will find a sort of comfort knowing that he has changed my life for the better to the extent in which I cannot describe.
Our friend Dottie Mau expressed at Elijah’s funeral how many of us feel. As her final goodbye, she said, “Thank you, Elijah, for the wake up call.”
None of us knows how much time we have left on this earth. We may not get a second chance to wake up from our spiritual slumber. Jesus concluded the parable by saying, “Therefore keep watch, because you do not know the day or the hour.” (v13)
Please ‘like’ and ‘share’ this post as you find it helpful and inspiring. Thank you.
-Ken Buchanan
