I have pretty vivid memories of class times that dragged on for far longer than I ever wanted, for papers that never got written due to my boredom/exhaustion breaking through, for books that didn't get finished, night after night, because I just couldn't stay awake.
I've been startled awake by friends, by teachers (eek!), by my family members, only to find drool caked on my face and bloodshot eyes that just cannot quite wake up.
I hated that feeling of being found in such a vulnerable state, "How can you be asleep right now?!" I was always embarrassed, apologized, tried hard to pretend like I wasn't sleeping that whole time (yeah, right).
And I can't help but dwell on on this verse from Mark 13:36-37 over and over and over again:
May he not come suddenly and find you sleeping.
What I say to you, I say to all: ‘Watch!’”
The last thing that I want to be found by my God is sleeping. I don't want to be caught drooling in the middle of life, wasting the days away with head bobs and quiet snores. I don't want to be discovered as a zombie: working through this life in monotony, as a chore, as a humdrum woman.
I don't want to be exposed as a daughter of the King in name only: I want to be so much more.
Good Lord, please find me vigilant and away and ready. Please, God, wake me from my feelings of monotony and revive in me Your Spirit and Truth.
What He says to them, He says to all, "Watch!"
What does this look like for us? As women: single women, wives, mothers, grandmothers . . . . What does it look like to be vigilant in faith? Not just follow along with the "right" things that we should do, not just doing the "good" things to the polite things, but what does it mean? LET US BE VIGILANT.
Let's awake from slumber, from our restless slumber, and WATCH.
So, this season of Advent, say a prayer to stay vigilant and alert, to remain not only steadfast in our Savior's arms, but clawing our way to know Him more and more. Let's remain alive, awake, and on fire.
May He not come suddenly, but find you waiting, patiently, for our Lord's coming.
photo credit // source
Jenna Guizar is the wife to an amazing man and mother to three beautiful little girls. You can find out more about her here.
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