I have a friend with a sleep disorder.
One moment we can be deep in conversation, and the next—I realized I am speaking into silence. He’d quietly drifted off. No warning. No goodbye. Just gone.
And then, just as quickly, he wakes.
Picks up right where we left off.
As if nothing happened.
That image stays with me whenever I hear Jesus say, “Stay awake. Be ready.”
Because sometimes, our hearts nod off too.
Not with rebellion.
Not with noise.
But with quiet distraction.
We drift from God’s voice.
We stop listening.
We miss the gentle knock at the door of our day—the invitation to forgive, to serve, to love.
In Matthew’s Gospel, Jesus reminds us: The Son of Man will come at an hour we do not expect.
And if we’re not paying attention, we might miss Him.
Paul writes to the Thessalonians with a different kind of wakefulness.
He longs to encourage them, to strengthen their hearts, to stay connected in faith—even through distress.
That same longing lives in us.
God calls us into a shared journey—where love becomes our strength, and faith becomes a light for others.
The Psalm says, “Our days are like a watch in the night.”
Brief. Passing. Precious.
Each moment is a gift.
Each breath, a chance to echo God’s mercy.
So how do we stay awake?
We pause. We pray. We listen.
To God’s gentle invitation.
To the grace that never tires.
To the love that never sleeps.
So today, let your life become the prayer you once only spoke.
Stay awake to every whisper of God’s kindness.
Stand firm in faith with your sisters and brothers.
Number your days with wisdom, and fill them with love.
And watch how, in the simple acts of listening and serving,
your whole journey becomes a living hymn of praise.
Prayer of Wakefulness
Lord,
In the quiet watches of this day,
keep my heart awake to Your presence.
Let me not drift from Your voice,
nor miss the gentle knock of grace.
Teach me to pause,
to listen,
to love—
even in the smallest moments.
May my life echo Your mercy,
my faith strengthen another,
and my breath become a prayer.
Amen.
No comments:
Post a Comment