Have you ever paused in the midst of your daily routine and wondered if your faith is as vibrant as it could be? What if, without even realizing it, some of us as Christians are walking through life “sleeping in the light” … going through the motions of belief, attending services, and saying the right words, but not fully engaging our hearts in a deep, transformative pursuit of God? It’s a gentle question, not a judgment, but one worth pondering: Could it be that we’ve grown comfortable in our routines, placing God somewhere on the list of priorities rather than at the very center?
Imagine this: What if the reason we don’t notice this subtle drift is because we’ve never truly experienced what it means to seek God with all our heart, soul, mind, and strength? Perhaps we’ve heard messages about grace and forgiveness, which are beautiful truths, but what if few or none of the sermons we’ve encountered have delved into the profound call to diligently pursue Him every single day? Without that teaching, how would we even know what we’re missing? It’s like living in a dimly lit room, thinking it’s bright enough because we’ve never stepped into full sunlight.
These questions aren’t meant to unsettle but to invite reflection. What if our complacency stems from a lack of awareness, a quiet oblivion where God isn’t first in our thoughts, decisions, or affections? Could it be that we’re lukewarm without intending to be, simply because we’ve never tasted the fullness of a relationship where He reigns supreme? As we explore this idea, let’s turn to Scripture for guidance, starting with passages that remind us of God’s desire for us to prioritize Him above all else.
Putting God First: Insights from the Parable of the Talents
Consider the Parable of the Talents in Matthew 25:14-30. In this story, a master entrusts his servants with varying amounts of money before leaving on a journey. Two servants invest wisely and double their portions, while the third buries his out of fear and returns it unchanged. The master praises the faithful ones, saying, “Well done, good and faithful servant! You have been faithful with a few things; I will put you in charge of many things. Come and share your master’s happiness!” But to the third, he declares, “You wicked, lazy servant!” and casts him out.
What if this parable is whispering to us about more than just financial stewardship? Could it be inviting us to ask: Are we actively investing the life, time, and gifts God has given us in pursuit of Him, or are we burying our potential in complacency? The faithful servants didn’t act out of grudging duty but with initiative and trust in their master. What if God is calling us to the same— to diligently seek Him not as a chore, but as an opportunity to grow closer to the One who loves us infinitely?
The Sheep and the Goats: A Call to Active Faith
Continuing in Matthew 25, verses 31-46 paint a vivid picture of the final judgment, separating the sheep from the goats. The sheep are welcomed into eternal life because they fed the hungry, clothed the naked, visited the sick and imprisoned; actions that Jesus says were done “to me.” The goats, however, are sent away because they neglected these acts of compassion.
Here’s a thought-provoking question: What if this separation isn’t just about outward deeds but about the heart behind them … a heart that puts God first by seeing Him in the least of these? The sheep didn’t perform these acts to earn favor; they flowed naturally from a life aligned with God’s priorities. Could it be that if we’re “sleeping in the light,” we might miss these opportunities, not out of malice, but because our pursuit of God hasn’t awakened us to His presence in everyday moments? What if earnestly seeking Him means letting His love overflow into how we treat others, making Him the driving force of our lives?
Sleeping in the Light: Knowing Him Deeply
Matthew 7:21-23: The Sobering Words of Jesus
In Matthew 7:21-23, Jesus delivers a stark warning: “Not everyone who says to me, ‘Lord, Lord,’ will enter the kingdom of heaven, but only the one who does the will of my Father who is in heaven. Many will say to me on that day, ‘Lord, Lord, did we not prophesy in your name and in your name drive out demons and in your name perform many miracles?’ Then I will tell them plainly, ‘I never knew you. Away from me, you evildoers!’”
What if these words are meant to stir us from any spiritual slumber? Could it be that even impressive acts of faith aren’t enough if they’re not rooted in a genuine, intimate relationship with God? The key phrase here is “I never knew you.” What if diligently seeking God isn’t about checking religious boxes but about knowing Him deeply, letting Him know us in return? Perhaps we’ve never heard this emphasized in preaching, leaving us unaware that true pursuit means surrendering our whole selves, not just parts of our lives.
The Bottom Line: Delighting in God Above All
Pulling it all together, what if the greatest awakening comes when we realize we should be so delighted in God that He consumes our thoughts, our desires, and our actions? Not out of compulsion or fear, but out of pure love for who He is … the Creator who pursues us relentlessly, the Savior who gave everything for us, the Comforter who never leaves.
Scripture echoes this throughout: Deuteronomy 6:5 commands us to “Love the Lord your God with all your heart and with all your soul and with all your strength.” Hebrews 11:6 reminds us that “without faith it is impossible to please God, because anyone who comes to him must believe that he exists and that he rewards those who earnestly seek him.” And in Psalm 37:4, we’re told to “Delight yourself in the Lord, and he will give you the desires of your heart.”
What if we’ve been missing this joy because we’ve never fully pursued it? Imagine a life where God is always on our minds, not as a burden, but as a source of endless wonder and peace. If these questions have sparked something in you, take a moment to pray, read these Scriptures anew, and ask God to awaken your heart. After all, the pursuit isn’t about perfection; it’s about drawing near to the One who already knows and loves you completely.
One response
I think the intentionality and purposefulness to which you are calling the brethren have the virtues of being always in season and particularly well-timed. The urgency of your message is, in my view, unmistakably mandatory for our day. The faithful, namely those in the United States at present, need this rallying cry, especially in the midst of the ethos of the times which deifies both tolerance and accommodation but has seemed to neglect the weightier matters of truth and grace. The Lord’s church needs this take-them-by-the-shoulders, look-them-in-the-eye admonition that a life of faith is a career, not a hobby or a side hustle. Pursuing God is not accomplished within the boundaries of our rapidly diminishing attention span, and this ‘work’ does a wonderful job outlining what genuine devotion looks like.