But concerning that day or that hour, no one knows, not even the angels in heaven, nor the Son, but only the Father. Be on guard, keep awake. For you do not know when the time will come. It is like a man going on a journey, when he leaves home and puts his servants in charge, each with his work, and commands the doorkeeper to stay awake. Therefore stay awake—for you do not know when the master of the house will come, in the evening, or at midnight, or when the rooster crows, or in the morning— lest he come suddenly and find you asleep. And what I say to you I say to all: Stay awake. Mark 13:32-37 ESV
I’m not a night owl!
I have always been an early riser. My parents rarely had to tell me to go to bed growing up. Even in college I had no trouble going to sleep by 10 in a noisy dorm.
So, one night in the late 80’s, I was desperately trying to keep my eyes open and stay awake. My serious boyfriend (and future husband) wanted me to help him pack for a 6 week backpacking trip in Europe with a friend. The first time he put on his backpack, he could barely stand up. I laughed and yawned and made a few suggestions. He took everything out and tried again. My eyelids grew heavier and heavier. Soon, I was fast asleep. I wasn’t very helpful. He woke me up, and I drove home.
Stay faithful
Now the point of this passage is not that we need to stay up 24/7 and never sleep. That isn’t helpful. I talked about the importance of recognizing the need to rest in my post, Finding Your Secret Garden. Kingdom work requires a dependence on God. He works through us. There is a tension of relying on God, yet doing His work.
This is a passage about faithfulness. Are we spending our lives binging Netflix or YouTube videos rather than showing up for kingdom work day after day? We are not guaranteed tomorrow. So whether you struggle with wasting time or trying to be the world’s savior, remember that small acts of faithfulness make the life of a disciple.
Dear God,
Help me to be a faithful servant for you. Help me to do your Kingdom work each day in YOUR strength, not my own. Amen.
Application
- Where do you struggle being faithful in your walk with God? Ask the Holy Spirit to reveal the root of that struggle.
- Maybe you are burned out because you work too hard and do not take time to set boundaries or to rest. If so, ask God to help you put those things in your schedule.
- Regardless of which side of the spectrum you are on, find an accountability partner to help you make changes.