“Awake, O sleeper, and arise from the dead, and Christ will shine on you.” Ephesians 5:14
I am easily distracted. As I sit down this morning to write email notifications are popping up, my coffee cup is running low, and I am curious about who won in the game last night.
One of the subtle lies that I believed as a young Christian was that my primary mission was to keep clear the big landmines of sin. I saw the 10 Commandments as the Top 10 Things to Avoid. I made my pursuit of God about my avoidance of reputation-slaying moral mess-ups.
Over the years I have learned that the greatest battle is keeping Jesus-central in my thoughts and affections. I find that the war against my complacent heart is the most intense struggle I face every day.
It was this reality that birthed these words:
In light of who You are, in light of all You’ve doneThe God whose voice created everything
In light of Your great worth, in light of Your great loveCome open up my blinded eyes to seeTo see You and You alone, To see You and You alone…
Chorus:
Awaken me, awaken me to the greatness of Your majestyAwaken me, awaken me to all that You areCome rescue me, come rescue me from all of my complacencyTo all You are, awaken me
The glory of God is not lacking. In Christ we have full and free access to the very feet of God and everlasting joy. C.S. Lewis described it this way:
“It would seem that Our Lord finds our desires not too strong, but too weak. We are half-hearted creatures, fooling about with drink and sex and ambition when infinite joy is offered us, like an ignorant child who wants to go on making mud pies in a slum because he cannot imagine what is meant by the offer of a holiday at the sea. We are far too easily pleased.”
C.S. Lewis, The Weight of Glory, and Other Addresses