Advent? *Yawn*

From the Oxford Dictionary for Advanced Learners:

ADVENT

Pronunciation:/ˈadv(ə)nt, -vɛnt/

noun

[in singular]

1 the coming of an important event, person, invention, etc

Okay, be honest: have you ever bickered with your parents, sparred with your siblings, or gave your spouse the silent treatment–on the way to worship? Do you recall more than one gripe-before-church match? I do (in very recent history, unfortunately). I wonder if Sunday morning, pre-church is one of the most beleaguered times for families who name the name of Jesus Christ.

What’s worse? I have seen this cycle enough times to know the conflict comes before worship, to distract, or afterwards, to cast doubt. I know, I know the battle’s coming, but I sleep instead of arming myself against routine or indifference or bickering.

From the Oxford Dictionary for Advanced Learners:

ADVENT

Pronunciation:/ˈadv(ə)nt, -vɛnt/

noun

[in singular]

1 the coming of an important event, person, invention, etc

Okay, be honest: have you ever bickered with your parents, sparred with your siblings, or gave your spouse the silent treatment–on the way to worship? Do you recall more than one gripe-before-church match? I do (in very recent history, unfortunately). I wonder if Sunday morning, pre-church is one of the most beleaguered times for families who name the name of Jesus Christ.

What’s worse? I have seen this cycle enough times to know the conflict comes before worship, to distract, or afterwards, to cast doubt. I know, I know the battle’s coming, but I sleep instead of arming myself against routine or indifference or bickering.

This is the season of Advent; time to anticipate an important event or person, according to the Oxford Dictionary. Advent is one example of the sacred privilege I have to regularly partake in worship and anticipation of the Lord's coming. In this time that I am lavished with each Sunday, and especially during Advent, what am I doing? Snoozing. I’m zonked out. Sleeping. I feel more like a zombie than a zealot.

Consider this an Advent wake-up call; Satan is not a kitty-cat who nestles gently in your lap and purrs and only sometimes scratches. No; he is relentless, ruthless, hateful and out for you and yours; if not for eternity, than at least for your lifetime. He wants to distract us from worshipping the One Who Is and Is to Come. He strikes at God’s Kingdom by leading us to believe that it is not at hand. Advent is not just at Christmas. Advent is now and ever-present until Jesus returns.

Don’t sleep during this Advent. Be alert to how the enemy uses your weak points to lull you into complacency and indifference.

Here are some tools he uses to divide and conquer (note that these things aren’t all inherently bad, but can be misused):

“Sleep” Aids:

• Television/Movies:  stealer of time and attention. A fantasy land and form of escapism.
• The Internet: they don’t call it the World Wide Web for nothing. One can get lost in information, social networking, viral videos, and other seemingly harmless time-wasters.
• Work: taking a job seriously is admirable. Making it an obsession? That’s idolatry.
• Children: using the kids as shields to avoid talking to your spouse.
• Shopping/Eating: consuming more stuff and more food to fill the void.
• Self-Loathing and/or Pride: two sides of the same coin; these two views are spirit-eating diseases, devouring people from the inside out and keeping God and loved ones at arms-distance.
• Obligation: though this motivation seems admirable, it sucks joy and vitality from even the most honorable acts. This is where worship becomes ritual.

Are you taking any of these sleep aids? If so, there’s hope this Advent (and I struggle alongside you; you’re not alone), by the power of the Holy Spirit, in the Word of God, and through the people of God.

Want to wake up? Here are some reviving scriptures to meditate on for Spiritual Caffeine (mouse over to read):

Sleep (Why It's Time to Wake Up):

Matt 25

Luke 9:28-36

Romans 13:11-14

1 Thessalonians 5:1-11

Sobriety:

1 Peter 1:13

1 Peter 4:7

1 Peter 5:5-11

[I think Peter might have learned the importance of staying awake since he was sleepy both at the Transfiguration (see the Lk 9 passage above) and the Garden of Gethsemane (Matthew 26:36-46).]

Alertness/Prayer:

1 Corinthians 16:13

Ephesians 6:10-18

Colossians 4:2

This Christmas and beyond, may you "be devoted to prayer, keeping alert in it with thanksgiving." Happy Advent, Dear One. May it be a peaceful one.