From the Edges – Wake Up – A Devotional to begin the day !

From the Edges – Morning Devotional 2-26-24
Lent – Day 11 – Wake Up
Pastor Calvin Cook

Scripture focus – Ephesians 5:14-17 NIV
14 This is why it is said: “Wake up, sleeper, rise from the dead, and Christ will shine on you.” 15 Be very careful, then, how you live—not as unwise but as wise, 16 making the most of every opportunity, because the days are evil. 17 Therefore do not be foolish but understand what the Lord’s will is.

This morning’s devotional is unplanned, unthought and leaning into what God is speaking into my heart.

I slept in this morning! I didn’t set the alarm and so my normal wake up time was delayed. If it had not been for Gail saying “It is almost 6:00AM “who knows how long, I might have stayed in bed.

I thought of the scripture that I read almost every day in a devotional, and we talked a bit about last night at our Youth gathering. The words are found in several places in scripture, and I emphasize the opening three words “WAKE UP SLEEPER”.
The following words are probably a little more important – “rise from the dead, and Christ will shine on you”. It isn’t just about a physical wake up even though we do need balance of Mind, Soul, and Body what really is important is the call to rise from the dread and darkness of sin into the glorious light of Christ. These words are probably much more than a physical awakening and instead a spiritual awakening. When we do this, we experience the fullness, the beauty, the life that Christ desires for us to have, the beauty of all creation that is available for us to enjoy and be a part of.

However, there is a warning – the warning is; that evil will use every opportunity to distract us and take us away from that which is important, which will change us through the renewing of our heart, mind, and soul. The explanation of being unwise and wise depends on choices that will be made for the day.

We can’t allow the conditions and mistakes of the moment to dictate our whole day. Today even though the day started a little later – I still have the rest of the day to see, feel, and experience God.

Have a day of turning to Jesus and experiencing the wonderful grace that is being poured out.