If we take Paul literally...
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If we take Paul literally and never close our eyes to sleep, soon we would not notice anything at all, not even the return of Christ. In order to "stay awake" and be alert, our bodies need to get enough sleep for healthy living.
If Paul is responding to questions raised by the Thessalonians, they must have been obsessed with fear and hope concerning the impending return of Christ. How does this become relevant to the modern-day pew warmers who never give it a second thought, except maybe on those Sundays when they hear about it in church?
I like to think of Christ as already being in our midst, and Paul's exhortation to be awake and aware is about noticing the work of God through Christ that happens all around us every day, often in the most unlikely people and places. Seeing the hand of God in ordinary day-to-day activities is being reminded of the eternal presence of the holy.
If Paul is responding to questions raised by the Thessalonians, they must have been obsessed with fear and hope concerning the impending return of Christ. How does this become relevant to the modern-day pew warmers who never give it a second thought, except maybe on those Sundays when they hear about it in church?
I like to think of Christ as already being in our midst, and Paul's exhortation to be awake and aware is about noticing the work of God through Christ that happens all around us every day, often in the most unlikely people and places. Seeing the hand of God in ordinary day-to-day activities is being reminded of the eternal presence of the holy.
