Re-ignition. #2

It’s been nearly a year since my first blog. 

I had 3 key resolutions: to get up early to read my Bible and pray; to pray more, and pray often; and to make the most of my time. 

That was 51 weeks ago. 

Now, at the beginning of February 2013, I’m looking back and assessing where I’ve come. I’m in a good routine for morning Bible reading. I could still pray more. I could still make better use of my time.

There have been times to just be: paddling in the glorious sunshine on the Isle of Lewis, walking up the beautiful Birks of Aberfeldy, sitting in a sauna sweating, walking on bright and frosty mornings, gobbling Christmas dinner with the family. Blissful being. Still more seldom than I’d like.

There’s been more than enough doing: times away with youth groups, packing boxes, moving house and opening boxes, playing and recording music, giving talks at ladies meetings (a new venture this year – wee old dears are always appreciative, it’s great), midwife appointments (first child due in 12 weeks!). Plenty doing – it keeps me moving.

I’m always thinking, but I still rarely put thoughts together. I’ve actually started taking notes on my phone with the aim of then coming here to put them together. There’s actually a potential 2 or 3 blogs on my horizon. When will I do them? We’ll see…

The first idea: Re-ignition.

Often I’ve felt that I need to wake up. I’ve felt a need to be re-ignited.

I love to sit outside and light up a wee fire. Sometimes just me on my own. Other times with friends and family. Always good times.

I’ve been struck by the ease with which a fire can reignite, even when it looks like the embers are dying. All it takes is a moving about of a log or two, allowing the heat to rise and air to flow, and BOOM! The fire roars again. It wakes up.

Cara put this verse from Ephesians on the mirror in our room:

“Awake, O sleeper,
    and arise from the dead, and Christ will shine on you.”
Ephesians 5:14

She put it up for two reasons. First, a quite literal ‘wake up’. I struggle with mornings, so any encouragement is welcome. Second, that it might be a reminder to wake up each day to God’s grace and live in his light.

Often I’m pretty sleepy. In both senses.

Christ’s words to the church in Sardis were a kick up the pants for me a few months ago.

“Wake up, and strengthen what remains and is about to die, for I have not found your works complete in the sight of my God.”
Revelation 3:2-3

In the Christian life there’s a fine line between being spiritually asleep and dead. I know I’m alive, but I do like the snooze button. Christ called the church at Sardis to wake up. Like a fire that appears to be dying out. Like I often need to.

I’m in good company though. In Gethsemane the disciples couldn’t stay awake. Lazarus was ‘asleep’. Eutychus drifted off and plummeted out a window. We all sleep at the wrong time occasionally.

As Rage Against The Machine’s ‘Wake Up’ rings out at the end of The Matrix, Neo flies off, presumably to start his mission to free minds and wake others up to the reality of the matrix. A brilliant ending to a great film.

Rage called people to wake up to their perceived reality – that capitalism and injustice rule, that people who speak out against the norm are victimised and that wars have been waged wrongly, to name but a few of their grievances.

There are elements of truth in both Rage and the Matrix.* We can get so used to life that we fall asleep to injustice. We can get so lost in our own world that we don’t wake up to what is out there around us. It’s all too easy to doze like this as a Christian.

Volcanoes can lie dormant for years, only to erupt in an instant. CPR can kick start the life of a patient on their way out. A fire can be re-ignited with just a simple movement of logs. Occasionally God will throw verses from the Bible at us like the ones above to wake us up. Other times we are in too deep a doze to hear.

Prevention is better than a cure though.

‘The Practice of the Presence of God’ – a little book of letters from a 17^th Century monk called Brother Lawrence, made a lasting impression on me. His ethos was to see everything as an opportunity for worship, epitomising Paul’s exhortations to do everything and anything to the glory of God (1 Corinthians 10:31, Colossians 3:17).

“Grow accustomed, then, little by little thus to worship him, to ask for his grace, to offer him your heart from time to time in the course of the day, amid your labours, at any time you can.”

Brother Lawrence wanted to stay awake. He loved to see all his actions as “small occasions of fellowship with God.”  Being constantly aware of Christ’s presence in our lives will help keep us awake.

Obviously we do literally need to sleep sometimes, I’m all for proper rest times. Ask any athlete how important rest is. I’m not advocating a life fuelled by Red Bull and copious amounts of coffee.

Jesus, the Good Shepherd, will lead us to times of rest. But that’s different from being spiritually asleep. I heard a sermon on Psalm 23 on Sunday evening. Christ doesn’t keep us in green pastures all the time. We’ll spend time in the dark valleys now and then, perhaps even more often. But a table is prepared in the presence of enemies, like having a picnic in the midst of trouble. Rest will come, even in hard times, if we trust the Shepherd. His staff – his word, will guide us. His rod – the cross, has defeated our enemies. They are our comfort.

The cross wakes us from darkness. The darkness of sin, of selfishness, of laziness, of jealousy, of immorality.

The cross gives us light to see. The light of new life, of forgiveness, of reconciliation.

Trust in Jesus makes this real for us. By faith we are saved. We wake up to new life.

A fire needs to be fed for it to keep burning. Eventually, if left unattended, a fire will just die. The Christian needs fuel to keep burning, to stay awake. The word of God is our daily bread, our staple diet, our burning logs. The cross brings the light that we must walk in. Seeing everything as an act of worship will keep us alert. It helps having others around us to keep us awake too.

First though – hear the call.

               “Awake, O sleeper!”

...or as Rage put it:              “WAKE UP!! WAKE UP!! WAKE UP!! WAKE UP!!
                                             WAKE UP!! WAKE UP!! WAKE UP!! WAKE UP!!”

 

*There are also most definitely elements that are not so helpful – Zach de la Rocha is a pretty angry and sweary fellow. Can’t say that I endorse all that Rage stand for, but I do love their music.

Matrix ending with Rage Against the Machine’s ‘Wake Up’

The Practice of the Presence of God – my version is from 1981, translated by E.M. Blaiklock. Quotes from p42 and p68. Here’s a newer edition if you fancy a swatch -

http://www.amazon.co.uk/The-Practice-Of-Presence-God/dp/1603862749/ref=sr_1_1?ie=UTF8&qid=1360275370&sr=8-1

Thanks to Murdo Maclean for the staff/word, rod/cross insights from his sermon last Sunday (3^rd February @ Sandyhills)

SDG!