Do you sometimes find it a hard task to drag oneself out of bed of an early morning? I don't know about you, but sometimes it seems much more pleasant to just sleep a little bit longer, and thus while away those precious early morning hours.

Well, this brings to my mind a very important scripture:

"Awake to righteousness, and sin not; for some have not the knowledge of God: I speak this to your shame." - 1. Corinthians 15:34

When you ask a sleepy sibling to wake up, what are you assuming? That they are asleep! So when the Bible says "awake", then those to whom it is speaking must be asleep. In what sense are thy asleep?

To answer this question... let's see something else the Bible calls sleep.

In the gospel of John, chapter 11, we read about a certain man called Lazarus who was taken sick and died. The family of Lazarus was good friends with Jesus, and while Lazarus was still alive news came to Jesus of his sickness. However, instead of rushing to the scene Jesus stayed where he was for two more days and then began the journey to Lazarus' house. We pick up the story in verse eleven.

"These things said he: and after that he saith unto them, Our friend Lazarus sleepeth; but I go, that I may awake him out of sleep.
Then said his disciples, Lord, if he sleep, he shall do well.
Howbeit Jesus spake of his death: but they thought that he had spoken of taking of rest in sleep.
Then said Jesus unto them plainly, Lazarus is dead." - John 11:11-14

Very interesting... Jesus said Lazarus was sleeping, and that He was going to awake Lazarus out of sleep. The disciples, not realising what Jesus was meaning, thought that Lazarus must be on the road to recovery if he was sleeping that was great! But no, Jesus wasn't talking about the kind of sleep that brings healing, but rather of the sleep of death. He plainly said "Lazarus is dead".

Therefore we see that death is likened to sleep, and that sleep can refer to death. Keep this in mind, as it is a vital piece of the puzzle we are putting together.

Let us now turn to another text, and see a clear picture emerging.

"Wherefore he saith, Awake thou that sleepest, and arise from the dead, and Christ shall give thee light."Ephesians 5:14

Here again, the Bible calls for an awakening out of sleep, and this time adds "and arise from the dead". As we have just seen in John chapter eleven, death is likened to a sleep. Now what causes spiritual death?

"And you hath he quickened, who were dead in trespasses and sins:" - Ephesians 2:1

The wages of sin is death and those that live in sin are living in death, a spiritual sleep, ultimately ending in eternal ruin. However God can quicken, or make alive, all who are dead in trespasses and sins, if only they will seek His forgiveness and choose to live a Godly life.

How tragic that this solemn truth is not understood by the vast majority in this world today. How sad that many are not willing to awake, to arise and seek a knowledge of the true God.

If you realise your great need to awake from spiritual slumber and death, then come humbly before the almighty one now. Choose to put away sin far from your life, ask the God to shine the glorious light of His gospel into your life. Take the exceeding great and precious promise from the God of infinite love, and seek by His grace and might to live a victorious life, and to be a partaker of His divine nature.

Daily feed on His word, the Bible, follow on to know the Lord, and truly you will find peace and joy in walking with God.

Let's finish with these encouraging words.

"The salvation of souls will be the constant aim of those who are abiding in Christ. But what have you done to show forth the praises of Him who has called you out of darkness? "Awake, thou that sleepest, and arise from the dead, and Christ shall give thee light." Shake off this fatal infatuation that benumbs your senses and palsies the energies of the soul.
The very strongest incentives to faithfulness are set before us, the highest motives, the most glorious rewards. Christians are to be Christ's representatives, sons and daughters of God. They are His jewels, His peculiar treasures. Of all who will maintain their steadfastness He declares: "They shall walk with Me in white: for they are worthy." Those who reach the portals of eternal bliss will not count that any sacrifice which they have made was too great.
May God help you to stand the test and preserve your integrity. Cling by faith to Jesus. Disappoint not your Redeemer." - Ellen G. White, Testimonies for the Church, vol. 5, pp. 368, par 2