Overcoming Spiritual Slumber
“Wake up, sleeper, rise from the dead, and Christ will shine on you.” Be very careful, then, how you live — not as unwise but as wise, making the most of every opportunity, because the days are evil.” - Ephesians 5:14-16
There is a story of a little girl who grew up in New Jersey, USA, and regularly attended service at New Hope Baptist Church. Her mother was the Choir Minister at the church, and this little girl used to also sing in the choir. God blessed her with a beautiful voice.
Even as a child, she was able to wow the congregation, and the rapturous response from the congregation at New Hope Baptist Church after every recital she gave had a powerful effect on her. At a very young age, she knew that her singing ability was an infectious thing that God had given her.
At nineteen, she started performing in nightclubs to make a singing career out of her God-given ability and was soon discovered by a recording artiste. Not long after, she was making records. By age 23, she had become a pop sensation, and at 24, she received her first Grammy award.
When she was 29, she married an equally famous singer who introduced her to drugs. After 15 years of marriage, drug abuse, and fistfights, she divorced him at 44. After that, she continued to struggle with drug addiction. Meanwhile, her singing career was going downhill.
On 11 February 2012, at the age of 48, she was found dead in her hotel room on the eve of the 54th Grammy Awards. The cause of death was accidental drowning, with heart disease and drug abuse playing their part. Her name is Whitney Houston.
Whitney knew she had a God-given singing ability and could have done great things for God. Her singing could have helped worshippers experience the manifest presence of the Lord. Instead, she abandoned the church because she thought her reputation would keep her alive. She generated millions and millions of dollars from record sales, but she was spiritually bankrupt. If only she had woken up from her spiritual slumber.
Spiritual slumber occurs when a believer does not pray or study the Bible regularly. Participating in church activities is also boring to the believer. A believer's attraction is to the things of the flesh rather than the things of the Spirit. To avoid spiritual slumber, we must work towards becoming more like Jesus. We must generously saturate our lives in prayer. We must uphold God's Word as true and relevant. We must spend time studying God's word daily to share the gospel and defend it in and out of season. And we must actively live our lives as salt and light in a degenerate world that calls us to compromise our standards and be our own gods.
Heavenly Father
Oh merciful God, the Bible tells us to watch and pray so we will not fall in spiritual sleep. my feet upon the Rock, Oh Lord, and awaken me from this spiritual slumber. Make me a watchman and a light bearer who is always alert and prayerful. Help me to put on the armour of light in the mighty name of Jesus Christ.
Amen