Rev 3: 1-13 Wake Up, Hold On
To the church in Sardis, Jesus says to wake up and finish their deeds.
To the church in Philadelphia he says he has placed an open door in front of them that no one can close and that because of their patient endurance they will not have to go through the time of trial at the end of time.
I donamprsquot like waking up because I donamprsquot like going to bed. There always seem to be more to do, more to read, and more to say, so I donamprsquot like stopping and going to bed. The result is that I donamprsquot like to get up when itamprsquos time for work. I do get up but I have to push myself to move. When I had children at home it was much easier to get up because I had to get the kids up, feed them and get them ready for school.
Being responsible for others helped me wake up because being responsible for others gave me energy I didnamprsquot think I had. Being responsible for my small group members gives me spiritual focus and energy. But I have to finish my deeds, one of which is doing my QT and uploading it every day. Like the church of Sardis, I didnamprsquot finish my QT deed in the summer and I needed to repent and wake up, which Iamprsquove done by the grace of God.
Thirty-five years ago, I left my PhD unfinished. I thought it was okay to leave it unfinished even though it would have been nicer to have completed it but Jesus had other thoughts and his words to the church of Sardis are words to me. ampldquoamphellip I have found your deeds unfinished in the sight of my Godamprdquo (2).
Yesterday I went back to university and, determined to be spiritually awake so I can finish, I volunteered to do the first class presentation next week. This is part of my repentance. I was dead to what I needed to do and now the Lord has quickened me in order to finish this particular deed.
In my own mind I do not need a PhD. I am old and nearing the end of my career. The PhD holds little worldly value for me. But it has a big spiritual value in its completion. Even though I have ampldquolittle strengthamprdquo (8), I am engaged in a spiritual journey to go through the ampldquoopen door that no one can shutamprdquo (8).
Application: draft my class presentation tomorrow night.
Lord, hold up my arms as you did for Moses so Joshua could win the battle. I need your strength for mine is unequal to the task before me.
