December 13-Are we Sleeping?

It’s Wednesday in the Sierras and although it’s still dark, there is a rooster demanding that it’s time for the day to begin! The last time I spent the night further up the mountain at Johnny’s house, he had a young rooster that didn’t want any of us to sleep the entire night! He was certain he he sun was coming any minute—all night long. About 3:00 in the morning I was ready to make fried rooster!

But as I sit here this morning listening, I can’t help but think are we ready for the Son Rise? The return of the King? When I said something the next day to Johnny about that stupid little rooster, he laughed and said, “Oh, we don’t even hear it any more” which of course they wouldn’t. But, is that what we’ve done with the expectation of the return of Jesus? We’ve heard it so long, we don’t hear it any more?

““Then the kingdom of heaven will be like 10 virgins who took their lamps and went out to meet the groom. Five of them were foolish and five were sensible. When the foolish took their lamps, they didn’t take olive oil with them. But the sensible ones took oil in their flasks with their lamps. Since the groom was delayed, they all became drowsy and fell asleep. “In the middle of the night there was a shout: ‘Here’s the groom! Come out to meet him.’ “Then all those virgins got up and trimmed their lamps. But the foolish ones said to the sensible ones, ‘Give us some of your oil, because our lamps are going out.’ “The sensible ones answered, ‘No, there won’t be enough for us and for you. Go instead to those who sell, and buy oil for yourselves.’ “When they had gone to buy some, the groom arrived. Then those who were ready went in with him to the wedding banquet, and the door was shut. “Later the rest of the virgins also came and said, ‘Master, master, open up for us! ’ “But he replied, ‘I assure you: I do not know you! ’ “Therefore be alert, because you don’t know either the day or the hour.”

‭‭Matthew‬ ‭25:1-13‬ ‭HCSB‬‬

Casting Crowns sings a song “While You Were Sleeping” it’s got great lyrics but part of them say (loosely) Oh Bethlehem what did you miss while you were sleeping, The King has left his throne and is sleeping in a manger tonight, God became a man...you will go down in history as a city with no room for it’s king while you were sleeping.  

Little town of Jerusalem, The Way, the Truth, the Life had come, But there was no room for Him in the world He came to save, The Savior of the world is dying on your cross today, Jerusalem, you will go down in history, As a city with no room for its King, While you were sleeping

United States of America, As we're sung to sleep by philosophies

That save the trees and kill the children, And while we're lying in the dark, There's a shout heard 'cross the eastern sky, For the Bridegroom has returned, And has carried His bride away in the night

what will we miss while we are sleeping? Will Jesus come again

And leave us slumbering where we lay? will we go down in history

As a nation with no room for its King

Will we be sleeping?

Will we be so used to the rooster crowing that we will just sleep through it all I wonder? 

Today let’s all pray that we would be ever vigilant and keep our lamps trimmed and ready for the bridegrooms return. 

Love you dear friend,

Pam