What gets you up in the morning? Does the emerging sunshine rouse you out of sleep or do you have to rely on an alarm clock? Or the family pet?
You know what else works? Hope! If you’re looking forward to something, like the start of a vacation, you’ll jump out of bed to get going. Alarm clocks can help, but there’s nothing like the motivation that hope provides.
The last verse of Psalm 17 describes this sense of expectation.
“As for me, I will be vindicated and will see Your face; when I awake, I will be satisfied with seeing Your likeness. – Psalm 17:15
In the midst of troubles and trials, the psalmist David set his hope on a glorious future with God. And like our mornings, that future starts with waking up.
In the Old Testament, awakening means being raised from the dead. David anticipated it; so did the prophet Daniel.
“Multitudes who sleep in the dust of the earth will awake: some to everlasting life, others to shame and everlasting contempt.” – Daniel 12:2
In the New Testament, Jesus treated death like sleep.
“After He had said this, He went on to tell them, ‘Our friend Lazarus has fallen asleep; but I am going there to wake him up.’ 12His disciples replied, ‘Lord, if he sleeps, he will get better.’ 13Jesus had been speaking of his death, but His disciples thought He meant natural sleep. 14So then He told them plainly, ‘Lazarus is dead, 15and for your sake I am glad I was not there, so that you may believe. But let us go to him.’” – John 11:11-15
And Paul announced that deceased saints will accompany the Lord when He returns.
“Brothers and sisters, we do not want you to be uninformed about those who sleep in death, so that you do not grieve like the rest of mankind, who have no hope. 14For we believe that Jesus died and rose again, and so we believe that God will bring with Jesus those who have fallen asleep in Him.” – 1 Thessalonians 4:13-14
But awakening also applies to the here and now. It signifies spiritual awareness and consciousness.
“This is why it is said: ‘Wake up, sleeper, rise from the dead, and Christ will shine on you.’” – Ephesians 5:14
God offers us “Sonshine” today! His light gives us the ability to navigate in the darkness of this world.
“For we walk by faith, not by sight.” – 2 Corinthians 5:7 (NASB)
Unfortunately, the wicked are blind to the blessing of the light of Jesus.
“The god of this age has blinded the minds of unbelievers, so that they cannot see the light of the gospel that displays the glory of Christ, who is the image of God.” – 2 Corinthians 4:4
It’s our job to share with them the good news.
“For God, who said, ‘Let light shine out of darkness,’ made His light shine in our hearts to give us the light of the knowledge of God’s glory displayed in the face of Christ.” – 2 Corinthians 4:6
But how can they see the light when the the devil has blinded them?
We wake them up! We open their eyes! Consider Paul’s apostolic calling:
“to open their eyes and turn them from darkness to light, and from the power of Satan to God, so that they may receive forgiveness of sins and a place among those who are sanctified by faith in Me.” – Acts 26:18
Darkness dims as the light dawns. It’s morning! Time to wake up and hit the ground running!
“The path of the righteous is like the morning sun, shining ever brighter till the full light of day.” – Proverbs 4:18
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