Aware

Luke 21:36 “But stay awake at all times, praying that you may have strength to escape all these things that are going to take place, and to stand before the Son of Man."

Oh course, this doesn’t mean to stay wide-awake 24 hours a day. What it means is to be aware at all times about the things around you, which can build you up or bring you down. I think one of the problems we face in life today is the problem of complacency. We have become comfortable with things the way they are, and we lose the intensity and importance of living life to the fullest.

Awareness is the practice of looking for the right things in life, looking for the sometimes-overlooked things, which become the prize worth-giving-up-everything-else- in-order-to-behold. Let me unpack that. Often, I have discovered a small truth that has been overlooked by others. This truth, if left undiscovered, equips no one for faithful living. However, when discovered and shared with others, this very truth becomes the force to ignite the passion of living that sets people free.

Awareness is a biblical practice of looking forward to what is next, and having at the same time, an appreciation and foundation of what was behind. How often do you and I travel through life unaware of the things around us? We miss the tragic consequences of others because of the blindness of our own hearts, at the same time passing up amazing opportunities to be a blessing and to be blessed because of our faithfulness.

Our problem is, because of our unawareness, we tend to have more unforeseen problems. Jesus instructs us to be aware and pray so that we can escape the things that are going to take place. Here is the key: awareness leads to prayer, and prayer leads to strength, and strength leads to the ability not to become involved in things that bring us down.

Jesus says to be awake at all times so that you will through prayer, have strength to withstand, and then to be able to stand before Him complete. I think what this says to me that I need to be aware of, is what God is doing in my life. It is OK to ask the question: What is God trying to teach me in this, or how can I grow from this experience?

The truth of this passage of scripture is found in the ability to know how to be faithful when times get difficult. Jesus stresses that things are going to happen, especially as the end approaches, He gives us clear understanding about what we need to do in order to stand strong. Our challenge is to learn the secret of wakefulness and how this can impact our prayer life in order to stand strong in the Lord. Notice that our strength is not found within us; it is given from God after we acknowledge our dependency and fall on our knees in prayer before Him.

So here is the key. Stay awake, pray and then stand! I think I can do that, come join me!

Blessings, Rip