Snooze Bar

How long will you lie there, you sluggard? When will you get up from your sleep?

– Proverbs 6:9

If you’ve ever overslept and been late to work or church, maybe someone has called you a Rip Van Winkle. 

That name comes from Washington Irving’s famous short story about a man who fell fast asleep one day in the mountains. When Rip finally woke up, years had passed and his world had changed completely. His wife had died, his friends had either moved away or had been killed in a war against the British (the Revolutionary War) — and he now sported a foot-long beard. Then came one more great shock: There was another man in town who answered to his name. It turned out to be Rip’s son, who had grown into manhood while his father slumbered unaware on the hillside.

Washington Irving’s story was fictional, but there are several documented cases of real-life Rip Van Winkles. In 1984, a young man named Terry Wallis fell into a coma following an automobile accident. When he finally awoke 19 years later, he thought that Ronald Reagan was still president. He knew nothing about the Persian Gulf War or the 9-11 terrorist attacks. What’s more, his six-week-old daughter had turned into an adult!

Much can change after we close our eyes — and not only to our surroundings — but also to our spiritual condition. The transition can be imperceptible if we’re not on guard for it. And sleepwalking through life can lead us to some startling revelations once we finally come to our senses. 

For example, what will it take before we wake up to the fact that we’ve pushed God away from certain areas of our life? Losing a job because of alcohol or drug use could be an alarm signaling the need for immediate change to prevent further damage. Another spiritual red alert might be a spouse’s or child’s growing alienation or withdrawal. Whatever it is, the signs and symptoms are there all along. The question is whether or not we’ll wake up in time and do something about them.

Of course, an alarm’s effectiveness is in direct proportion to how much we don’t want to hear it. In Old Testament times, God often sent prophets to tell the people to stop sinning against him and start living their lives his way. Sometimes they did respond to his call with repentance. But too often — just like we do today — they made excuses for their behavior, denied there was a problem, or convinced themselves that everyone was doing it. Centuries later, the problem remains. And the siren is still sounding.

“Come now, let us settle the matter,” says the Lord through Isaiah 1:18. “Though your sins are like scarlet, they shall be as white as snow; though they are red as crimson, they shall be like wool.”

If that’s your situation — or if it’s facing someone you know — there’s no time to waste. Ask God to open your eyes and ears to clearly perceive his message. And whatever the issue might be, you need to make God’s prescribed life-changes as soon as possible … no matter how unpleasant the process might be. 

Is the alarm clock blaring in your ear this morning? It’s no time to hit the snooze bar.