I don't know about anyone else's wife, but my wife doesn't like snoring. She even says it awakes her sometimes. I can't believe it. Actually I can, because I have been on enough youth retreats with fellow snorers to know that there is nothing worse than a chain saw revving at full throttle whilst ye seeketh to sleepeth. Joey Musick and Jim Smith once performed a snoring duet for out whole room years ago in the Great Smokey Mountains. It was simply...horrible!
So my question today is why do we allow snoring Christians to continue to rip off the horrendous melodies so often and never protest or wake them up so they will halt the noise? I am not referring to those occasions when a friend or family member gets a little drowsy in a church service. That is not even that bad a thing to me. I used to love to sleep in church when I was a kid, so peaceful, so quiet, so calm. Man, I'm getting sleepy right now.
What I am referring to is the insane snoring so many Christians participate in the realm of spiritual things. There is a deafening slumber of so many Christians in the United States as related to the spiritual realm. We are in a comatose state. Dead to the world in two ways, spiritually and intellectually. I will only tackle one area today, spiritual slumber.
Do we really think that we can thrive and succeed in the world today without acknowledging the spiritual struggle that is raging behind the scenes? I mean, come on. Have we not read the Bible lately and seen this incredibly awesome adventure on the other side of things?
Could we flip over to the Old Testament and look into the antics of David, Joseph, Moses, and Job just to name a few? Can you say there is no such thing as a battle for souls after reading the first 2 chapters of Job, let alone the whole book? Are we that sleepy?
So, if we do acknowledge the spiritual realm how do we live in both worlds, physical and spiritual without losing our minds? Well, we aren't succeeding at this too well by just focusing on the physical are we? Look at the mental health business, it's very good these days and getting better. Honestly, I know I get depressed when I only look at the physical side of life. I have had two episodes of what I think were mild depression, both times all I could see was this world, physical, and how bad things were. Both times I struggled to word a prayer and many, many times I could hardly pick up the Bible and read it.
Tell me that was not a spiritual battle. There were days when I slept more than I should have and wept for little stuff. Call it what you like, I would like to call it major spiritual battle for my soul, mind, and heart. When you work 5 different jobs within the span of one year and can't seem to find contentment in any of them, what do you call that? Especially after working one job for over 10 years and loving it thoroughly.
So, my challenge today is for Christians to wake up and quit snoring. Quit sleeping through this spiritual struggle that is waging right before your closed eyes. Grab hold of yourself, your spouse, your child, your friend, your fellow Christian and wake up!
Prayers from your own heart and prayers from the mouths of others are a key to this struggle if we are to succeed and live well. The Word of God read, studied, meditated, memorized, and chewed on is crucial as well. Fellowship with other fellow strugglers cannot be dismissed as well. I know the church isn't what it should be. But Jesus says where 2 or 3 are gathered together in His name there He is, right there, standing with you. Almost forgot, worship both with others and just you and God is power packed. My guitar and I have banged out some pretty amazing worship services before our almighty God. So, what are we waiting on?
Quit Snoring, Please! Some of us are trying to live richer, deeper lives.
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