Today was a sleepy day in New England. It rained most of the day and the temp never went above the mid fifties. As hard as I tried I couldn’t keep my students awake. They settled into their chairs and within a few minutes their eyelids were settled. I tried almost everything. To begin class I read a fabulous passage from Romans. Only half of them seemed aware of my presence. I walked over and called some by name. They roused for a few minutes but soon were back in dreamland. There was a temptation to be miffed except for the fact that just yesterday I was in a faculty meeting and was in the same stupored condition.
Jesus had a similar problem with His disciples that horrible night in the garden. But He did acknowledge their human nature. Sometimes we just can’t stay awake. He understands His sleeping church. We can take comfort that He never condemned the ten young women for sleeping while waiting for the groom to come to the wedding. It is not natural to stay in a state of excitement constantly waiting for anything, let alone something we have been told for decades is at the door.
Perhaps the best thing is not to hype ourselves up every time there is an earthquake or some other horror. The best thing is not to be event watching or studying someone’s fabricated time chart but instead establish a living, breathing, eating, walking, talking, and sleeping relationship with Jesus that is so real it doesn’t matter when He returns. Our goal should be to be so involved with Jesus that going to heaven will merely be a change of address.
Written by Roger Bothwell on October 7, 2010
Spring of Life Ministry, PO Box 124, St. Helena, CA 94574
Rogerbothwell.org