Wake Up To Reality

“And that, knowing the time, that now it is high time to awake out of sleep” (Rom 13:11).

            “It is time to wake up to reality,” Phillips translate this text.  Too many of us are prone to rationalize-to avoid the facts of life.  We tend to live in a dream world.  It is easier not to face reality.  It is comfortable not to be stirred.  Therefore, too often, we are trying to avoid the pain of conditions as they are.

            Ed Murrow said he would like Americans to have some “itching pills” instead of tranquilizers!”  He may have a point.

            “Why all this stress on behavior?  Because, as I think you have realized, the present time is of the highest importance-it is time to wake up to reality….Let us live cleanly, as in the daylight…Let us be Christ’s men from head to foot, and give no chances to the flesh to have its fling” (Phillips, Rom 13:11-14).

            It is time to wake up to reality!

THE TIME

            In Ephesians 5:16 we are admonished that we should be “redeeming the time, because the days are evil.”  Time plays an important part in the Word of God.

WHATE TIME IS IT?

            Several terms are used to describe the time-“Your salvation is nearer, “ “the night is far spent,” “the works of darkness,” “rioting and drunkenness,” “chambering and wantonness,” “strife and envying.”  There it is!

            The day of mercy is passing-time is getting short for all of us.  Life is short at the best.

            The time is perilous-It is filled with darkness and gross sin.  Sin is on every hand.  We have it called to our attention almost too much.  It is a dark, perilous, wicked time.

            The time is tense-“strife and envying.”  This is true even for Christians.  There is envy, jealousy, strife, sins of the spirit almost everywhere.  All of this produces a tension in Christian life which is not good.

            What time is it, then?  Short, perilous, tense is the answer.

WHAT DOES IT MEAN?

            Time means watchfulness-Just as someone who is on schedule must watch the time, so must we.  The timing of a turn at the steering wheel of a car is crucial.  The intricate timing of a huge airplane under the skilled direction of a pilot is a life and death factor.  In a day so short, so wicked, so tense we cannot afford the luxury of ease and inertia.  Our safety is watchfulness.

THE CALL

            “It is time to wake up to reality,” cried Paul, under the inspiration of the Holy Spirit.  It is as though he said “there is no time to lose.”

WHAT KIND OF SLEEP?

            What is the nature of this spiritual stupor form which God calls us?  We are confident that he does not mean the physical sleep which our bodies require, unless we are excessive in our practice of it.  We do not believe He means the normal times of relaxation and recreation so greatly needed in a frustrating world.

            It is a contentment with the stat quo.  Many are slumbering in this bed.  This is good enough.  Our accomplishments will do.  Things aren’t too bad.  We’ll rock along.  These ruts have been all right for years; they are good enough for us.  O how deadening, how frightfully deadening this can be!

            It is an acceptance of defeat-In this sleepiness we think there is no use anyway.  Things have gone too far.  Our efforts are in vain.  We can save ourselves the trouble.  We warm ourselves over occasionally but don’t expect to do anything with the world.  We are sleeping the sleep of despondency and discouragement.

            It is a dreamland of activity-Here things replace spirit.  There is a preoccupation with a multitude of things to do.  We are lulled into thinking we are spiritual because we are busy.  The sedative of busyness has overcome us.  We have lost spiritual consciousness in secular absorption.  Activity has dulled and fogged our alertness.

            This is our kind of sleep: contented to get by; dozing in defeat; dreaming busyness.  It is an unreal world.

THE AWAKENING

            From all of this we must “wake up to reality!”  God is not pleased!  God is disappointed.  Time is too short; sin is too powerful; tension is to frightening for us to be at ease.  There needs to be an awakening to reality.  The things of God, the experience of God, the taking hold of God, are real!

            The reality of full redemption-“Your salvation is nearer,” we are told; “your redemption draweth nigh,” we are promised.  It is important that we recognize the reality of the return of Jesus Christ.  Our testimony of His return is vital.

            The reality of God’s power-This is the assurance of His presence.  “Let us arm ourselves for the fight” is Phillips’ translation.  “Put on the whole armor of God” we are told elsewhere.  God’s presence is a power factor in our everyday lives. We only lack power because we are willing to have it so.  We are weak because we do not claim His strength.

            The reality of holy living-“Let us live cleanly,” “let us be Christ’s men from head to foot,” we are urged.  Peter admonished us, “Seeing that all these things shall be dissolved, what manner of men ought ye to be in all holy conversation and godliness.”  Loose living is not to be a part of our philosophy.  God expects purity, cleanness, holiness.  Just because we know we are human, we are in the flesh, we are weak, we are faulty, is no excuse for careless, flippant attitudes toward sin.  Ours is to be a commitment to the reality of holy living-right here on earth.

            The time is short, perilous, tense, with emphasis on the importance of watchfulness.  The call is to reality-a call from the sleep of contentment, defeatism, and deadening activity to the reality of Christ’s return, the power of God, and holy living.

            It is time to wake up to the reality.”  May God grant us awakening.

--Martin W. Cox 1959