Wake-Up and Live

Acts 20:7-12

English Standard Version (ESV)

⁷ On the first day of the week, when we were gathered together to break bread, Paul talked with them, intending to depart on the next day, and he prolonged his speech until midnight. ⁸ There were many lamps in the upper room where we were gathered. ⁹ And a young man named Eutychus, sitting at the window, sank into a deep sleep as Paul talked still longer. And being overcome by sleep, he fell down from the third story and was taken up dead. ¹⁰ But Paul went down and bent over him, and taking him in his arms, said, “Do not be alarmed, for his life is in him.” ¹¹ And when Paul had gone up and had broken bread and eaten, he conversed with them a long while, until daybreak, and so departed. ¹² And they took the youth away alive, and were not a little comforted.

(https://www.biblegateway.com/passage/?search=Acts+20%3A7-12&version=ESV)

Why is it that we complain when the Pastor preaches past noon.  We gather together once or twice a week to hear God’s word and to fellowship together, singing praises and sharing our lives with one another.  We come at 9:30 (if we attend the Sunday School hour) and we leave at noon, otherwise we get grumping.  I do not think the people of America are hungry enough for the Lord’s word and the fellowship of believers.  If we are at church more than 2-1/2 hours we become complainers rather than being thankful.

For several years I have attended a ministry entitled “Secret Church” where we attend a simulcast from 6:00 PM until midnight and hear God’s Word proclaimed.  It is a wonderful experience with prayer for persecuted Christians in different regions of the world and where the Word of God is thoroughly covered in a rapid pace.  There are many places that have to gather to hear God’s word in one setting because they do not know when they will have the opportunity to get together again.  There is so much to say in such a little bit of time, and that is what Paul and the believers were experiencing in this setting.

In some countries ministry is administered in this same fashion today.  They do it in secret; otherwise they may be arrested or maybe persecuted in some other fashion.  They do not complain but rather cherish the moments together.  They walk long distances to get to the place of worship, possibly in another believers home and they take a great risk in getting there.   The ones hosting have risk as well that they may be found out and punishment could come their way, they may lose all that they have but they take the risk and do it for the Glory of God. 

Yet, when we have secret church we come in our cars and park in front of the building in which we are attending.  We come with our crockpots full of food and enter the temperature-controlled building.  We put our food down and start complaining about why this has to last until midnight.  How we are not sure if we can stay awake for the entire time.  Some of us even have to leave early because we just can’t sit that long and it is past our bedtime.  Or we meander in after it has started because we just can’t get there in time and it last until midnight anyway.  We need to WAKE-UP!  The Word of God is the most important Words that we have right in front of us.  Many of us have numerous Bibles lying around our house while people in some countries hide what little bit of the Bible they have for fear that it could be taken from them.  Church WAKE-UP and REJOICE in the LORD for He is Good and His love endures forever.  Do not ever think that you know all there is to know about the Bible.  None of us have gained all the wisdom possible from His Word.  WAKE-UP from your slumber and live for Him!!!

Seek Him with open eyes, open ears, and an open heart.

Seeking Him with all my heart,

Sheila