And as he lay and slept under a juniper tree, behold then an angel touched him, and said unto him, Arise and eat. 1 Kings 19:5 America has received many wake-up calls. The violence in our streets and the killings in our schools seem to stir her but not get her out of bed. Sadly, she reaches over and slaps the snooze button, then dozes back into a sound sleep. But God won’t put up with our lazy streak. Horatius Bonar enlightens us with the stages of God’s efforts to awaken us. In arousing us, God proceeds at first most gently. He touches us slightly, as the angel did Elijah, under the juniper tree, that He may awake us. He sends some slight visitation to shake us out of our security. He causes us to hear some distant noise; it may be the tumults of the nations, or it may be the tidings of famine, or war, or pestilence a far off. Perhaps this entirely fails and we slumber on as securely as ever. Our life is as listless and as useless as ever. Then He comes nearer and makes His voice to be heard in our own neighborhood, or within the circle of our family. This also fails. Then He comes nearer still—for the time is hurrying on—and the saint is still asleep. He speaks into our very ears. He smites upon some tender part, till every fiber of our frame quivers and every pulse throbs quicker. Our very soul is stricken through, as with a thousand arrows.Then we start up like one awakening out of a long sleep, and looking around us, and wonder how we could have slept so long. Friend, if you’ve been slumbering soundly, repent. Go to God and ask Him to awaken your spirit. Seek to be one who rises at the first call of God. Be quick to go to prayer over the needs of those around you.
Posted on: Tue, 15 Oct 2013 23:09:44 +0000
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