April 19th, 2025: Mark 13.35-37

Mark 13:35-37
35 “Therefore, stay awake—for you do not know when the master of the house is coming, whether in the evening, at midnight, or when the rooster crows, or in the morning—
36 lest he come suddenly and find you sleeping.
37 “And what I say to you I say to all, ‘Stay awake!’”

How do we stay awake during times that demand our attention? Maybe we eat some food or drink, or we keep moving and active, not sitting for too long. Sometimes we may keep ourselves focused and alert by pure willpower. Our spiritual life follows similar methods to keep us awake as our Lord Jesus commands us. We consume the spiritual food and drink of our Lord and of our God. We keep active in the work we are told to do. Spreading the gospel, having active conversations with others, keeps us sharp and focused on the word of God. When we don’t work for God, but get distracted by the world and become lazy in God’s work, we can easily fall asleep and not be ready for Jesus’ return. Sometimes we have to go to pure willpower. By loving and fearing our God, we can keep our minds awake and ready. It isn’t always easy to stay awake, but the consequences of being asleep when Jesus returns should motivate us to do whatever it takes to be awake to welcome him back.