Awake!

“Therefore He says: ‘Awake, you who sleep, arise from the dead, and Christ will give you light.’” Eph 5:14

The call to awaken has never been more urgent. Our text exhorts us, “Wake up, sleeper, rise from the dead, and Christ will shine on you.” This is a loud and clear call, not just to stir from sleep but to rise from spiritual death, to step into the light of Christ with renewed zeal and purpose (1Thess 5:6).

Isa 60:1-2 echoes this urgency: “Arise, shine, for your light has come, and the glory of the Lord rises upon you. See, darkness covers the earth and thick darkness is over the peoples, but the Lord rises upon you and his glory appears over you.”

The world around us is shrouded in darkness -thick darkness!, but God’s glory is ready to be revealed through a Church that is awake, alive, and fervent. We are warned by the parable of the ten virgins in Matt 25:6. The five foolish virgins did not miss the bridegroom because of sin or gross misconduct—they missed him because they were asleep, unprepared, and indifferent to the urgency of the hour. They were with the others, yet their lack of readiness cost them dearly.

Today, we must confront the dangers of apathy, indifference, and a lack of zeal within our hearts and within the Church (Rom 12:11). These are the silent thieves of spiritual vitality, slowly lulling us into complacency and robbing us of the fervour we once had. But there is a remedy—a powerful, life-changing remedy—that God has provided.

First, we must return to our first love. Rev 2:4-5 warns the Church in Ephesus that they have forsaken the love they had at first. The remedy is simple yet profound: “Consider how far you have fallen! Repent and do the things you did at first.” We must rekindle that passion for Christ, remembering the joy and fervour of our early days with Him. This rekindling begins in the secret place of prayer, where we seek God’s face with a sincere heart, asking Him to reignite our love for Him and for His work.

Secondly, we must immerse ourselves in the Word of God. Jer 20:9 describes the Word as “a fire shut up in my bones.” The Word ignites our spirits, fuels our faith, and renews our minds. Let the Word of God dwell richly within you, stirring up zeal and enthusiasm for the things of God.

Thirdly, we must engage in the discipline of fasting and prayer (Joel 2:12-13). Fasting subdues the flesh and aligns our spirit with God’s will, while prayer opens the heavens and brings us into deeper communion with God. As we fast and pray, we become more sensitive to the Holy Spirit, more passionate about God’s work, and more fervent in our pursuit of holiness.

Finally, we must surround ourselves with fellow believers who are on fire for God. Prov 27:17 says, “As iron sharpens iron, so one person sharpens another.” Fellowship with zealous, like-minded believers fans the flames of our own spiritual fervour, encouraging us to press on and keep the fire burning.

God is calling us, not just to wake up, but to rise up with renewed passion and purpose. The world is in darkness, and the Church must shine brightly. The time is now to shake off apathy and indifference, to rekindle our zeal and enthusiasm, and to be ready for the bridegroom’s arrival. 

Let us pray and fast for the awakening of the Church, starting with ourselves. Let us cry out for a fresh outpouring of the Holy Spirit, that we might be filled with a burning passion for God’s glory. Arise, shine, for your light has come! Wake up, Church, for the bridegroom is coming!