Wake Up from Your Slumber

A spiritual slumbering or drunken person is not aware of his own actions, and may do many evil things that he would not normally do. The same can be said for our spiritual life. When, at times, we fall spiritually asleep, our actions may be unbecoming of the children of God. Let us learn from the episodes in the lives of Noah and Esther respectively.

Noah was a righteous man. When the wrath of God fell upon the decadent society of his days, Noah and his family took shelter in the sanctuary of the ark and escaped from the destruction of the Flood. Later, under the blessing of God, Noah settled down and became a farmer. From his vineyard came grapes made into wine. And Noah, in a moment of weakness, lost his spiritual vigilance, and became intoxicated, thereby staining his hitherto clean record.

The story of Esther tells how an ordinary Jewish girl rose to fame, as she was chosen to be the consort of Ahasuerus, king of the great Persian Empire. In the imperial favour and glory, her humble origins soon faded away. Unfortunately, her race was threatened and was on the brink of extermination (Est 3). Esther remained passive, ignorant of what was happening outside the palace. Her foster father, Mordecai, came to give a timely admonition, while Esther was not sure whether she could risk her life to see the king (For the entry without king’s summon would incur a punishment by death). Mordecai’s patriotic remark (Est 4:13-14) boosted her courage. She immediately called for a nationwide prayer and fasting on her behalf, preparing to violate the custom and present an appeal to the king.

These two incidents reflect how easy it is to become spiritually asleep. As Paul rightly pointed out, “Therefore let any one who thinks that he stands take heed lest he fall” (1 Cor 10:12). When a person is blessed and enjoys numerous gifts from God, it is important that he remains alert and watchful. One must not be carried away in one’s own achievements which are but an outcome of the divine providence. Instead, he must glorify and praise the heavenly Father, the Creator of the universe and the arbiter of human destiny.