SPIRITUAL SOBRIETY

Reflections from a street encounter

 "For anything that becomes visible is light. Therefore it says, ' Awake O sleeper, and arise from the dead, and Christ will shine on you' "

Shalom Chaverim! 

Grace to you and shalom from God our Heavenly Father and the Lord Jesus Christ.

I have so much excitement as I am writing this. It's about something, or rather, someone I came across. Just recently while walking my way home, I was yet in deep thought pondering on a particular scripture when something else caught my eye. A name printed on a T-shirt of some random guy. "LEVI" ; All caps, big and bold four letter word that drew my mind back to reality. 

Something in me just clicked. At the same time, I wondered, does he really know what he has on? I wanted so bad to ask him. Not out of judgement but purely from curiosity. Because to me, that wasn't just a name(maybe it was his name; I could never know), but it represented to me a lineage, a priesthood; very much a weighty identity.

That moment lingered with me. It made me think about how society as a whole is actively becoming oblivious. We wear things, say things, how we even carry symbols, how we live and interact with our surroundings. All these done without giving any careful thought. Or rather caring to know the meaning behind them.

One might say it's like we are becoming numb to the significance of things around us. Dare I say even to ourselves; we are slowly becoming casual.

And I'm not saying that the guy was bad or careless. I don't know him nor his story. But it made me reflect on the bigger picture. How it's easy to forget who we are. How we as a generation are slowly drifting into ignorance. Not lack of information per se, but a kind of spiritual sleep; Distracted even.

My sentiment is rooted in the recent events going around the world. When you open your TV you see in your news updates, in your movies, in your songs etc. The lack of reverence and spiritual awe seems to be missing (just my take).

The bible doesn't warn us about sin only; but also about sleep. About being lured into a state where we stop watching, caring and discerning.

Revelation 3:2-3 "Wake up, and strengthen what remains and is about to die, for I have not found your works complete in the sight of my God. ³ Remember, then what you received and heard. Keep it and repent. If you will not wake up, I will come like a their, and you will not know at what hour I will come against you."

1 Thessalonians 5:6  "So then let us not sleep, as others do, but let us keep awake and sober." 

In Revelation 17:2, it talks about the wine of jezebel, how the nations are drunk with her influence. Not only to immorality but to spiritual numbness. A kind of intoxication that makes us forget what's real. 

1 Peter 5:8 "Be sober minded; be watchful. Your adversary the devil prowls around like a roaring lion, seeking someone to devour."

I'm not exempt. I need the reminder too. That's the posture I want to live in. Not perfect but alert. 

Just like LEVI, we have been called into the office of priesthood. But we have to know it, feel it and walk in it. That moment reminded me to check; am I living like someone who knows who she is? Am I alert or going through the motions?

So yeah, maybe the guy knew or didn't know what that inscription meant; either way, it stirred something in me to stay awake. To remember. Will you join me family?

Shalom.

@TalithaCumi

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