Wake Up! Wake Up!

A friend of mine along with her family was taking a Sunday afternoon nap when someone started pounding on their front door to tell them that their house was on fire. If this person had not awakened them they probably would have been killed in the fire. The flames were already so far gone that by the time the fire department got there the place had basically burned down. The person who awakened them was a stranger who happened to be driving by their house and noticed the fire. She could have just driven past but she felt compelled to do what she could to help these people and in this case she saved their lives.

As I was reading I Thessalonians 5, I was reminded of the incident with my friend and her family. Paul is speaking to the Thessalonians about the day of the Lord and His return. We do not know when our Lord will return but we do know that He will. The writer of Acts says to the people as they witnessed Jesus' ascension "This same Jesus, who was taken up from you into heaven, will so come in like manner as you saw Him go into heaven." Paul says "the day of the Lord so comes as a thief in the night." (I Thessalonians 5:2)

For those of us who know Christ as savior and Lord that day will not overtake us as a thief. However, Paul says "Therefore let us not sleep as others do but let us be sober." He also says, "But let us who are of the day be sober, putting on the breastplate of faith and love, and as a helmet the hope of salvation." Paul speaks those similar words to the Ephesians in 6:17.

Let us be keenly aware that Christ will return and there will not be a second chance to know Him as savior and Lord. This should incite us to have a burden for those who do not know Christ - those who are sleeping. I am speaking to myself as much as I am to you. I do not take the opportunities I should to tell people of the impending danger they are facing. Just as this stranger felt so compelled to knock on my friend's door, we should be so compelled to say to those who do not know Christ "wake up! wake up! Christ will return". Our job is to wake them up and tell them about Christ and the forgiveness that He extends to those who believe in Him. Let us desire to save them from the fire that is to come.