I began delivering newspapers when I was 9. I quickly learned my route so it became a pretty easy after school job for me. Soon I learned that the best routes were the morning ones. I would make more money and my afternoons would be free to play baseball…really good! I finally got the chance. Perfect…. except for one small problem. I had to wake up at 5:30 to get the papers out on time before school. Ugh… It turned out that I had a really hard time waking up. I scattered three alarm clocks around the room, but some days I slept through them. I could not stay awake. The good news is that after almost 10 years of this, my biological clock was permanently reprogrammed so now I have no problem waking up early. Yet the ball merely shifted as my wife will confirm; I now have a hard time staying awake in the evening. Can’t win! It’s hard to stay awake.

Perhaps this is why I was hit so hard one morning reading in Mark as Jesus spoke of the future:

³⁴ “The coming of the Son of Man can be illustrated by the story of a man going on a long trip. When he left home, he gave each of his slaves instructions about the work they were to do, and he told the gatekeeper to watch for his return. ³⁵ You, too, must keep watch! For you don’t know when the master of the household will return—in the evening, at midnight, before dawn, or at daybreak. ³⁶ Don’t let him find you sleeping when he arrives without warning. ³⁷ I say to you what I say to everyone: Watch for him!” Mark 13:34-37 (NLT)

Ringggggg….The ultimate wake up call!

He gave each his servants instructions of the work they were to do, then warned them not to be found asleep on the job. He didn’t describe the consequences, but I can imagine it would be beyond terrible for Jesus to arrive and find me asleep. Way worse than a complaint of a newspaper delivered late!

I realized that though I am awake now, there were times in my life when I was asleep, off task. Thankfully I’m on task now and committed to do everything I can, even if challenging and uncomfortable, to stay awake. Still, my heart grows heavy as I think about servants that could be found asleep, not doing the jobs they were given…

“How many followers of Jesus are asleep at the wheel?”

If he came back today, I suspect a huge number. This thought has hung over me like the Oregon marine layer since.

At the same time, our world seems to be crumbling before us…. Perhaps evidence of the many people sleeping, assigned jobs not being done? The tasks before us look daunting, and it sure is easier to stay in our comfortable beds, but I wonder, what might our world look like if all believers were awake, busy doing their assigned work. What do you think? Are you awake? Do you know what your assigned job (your Life Mission) is? Is it time to wake up and figure it out? When you spell out your Life Mission in 7 words or less you will experience powerful clarity, enabling you to get on task. This will change your life. Best of all, it starts from where you are right now. You don’t need to sail off to Africa to become a missionary.

Later in the week I was struck when I read this:

³ He will not let you stumble;
the one who watches over you will not slumber.
⁴ Indeed, he who watches over Israel
never slumbers or sleeps. Psalm 121 (NLT)

A bit of a contrast. God never sleeps from doing his work. Thank you God! Even better, he will not let us stumble. I don’t know about you, but I stumble most when I’m half asleep. Imagine if God took naps, what would happen then? So glad that he will cover me when I drift off track, though I suspect he does not like to cover us for too long. His Holy Spirit shakes us shouting, “Wake up!” I’m reminded of Jesus as he prayed at Gethsemane before he was turned over. He came back from praying to find his disciples asleep. He woke them with urgency.

“Couldn’t you watch with me even one hour? ⁴¹ Keep watch and pray, so that you will not give in to temptation. For the spirit is willing, but the body is weak!” Matthew 26 (NLT)

What is he saying to you? Have you received your wake up call?

Start the process. Let’s figure out what your Life Mission is. Pursuing it will change your life. Go to www.bobblackcoaching.com to schedule a free consultation.