Are You Fully Awake?

The following is a copy of the Thomas Question email devotional. You can subscribe to the email edition from our website and tune into our podcast.

Technology has almost gotten to the place where it can completely enfold your senses. LCD screens are getting bigger, as have theater screens. Surround sound is old, optical cables are in. The latest generation of video consoles are nearly astounding in their realism. It makes one wonder what comes next. As the virtual world gets more and more real, the real world seems less and less appealing. After all – why live in the imperfect when you can completely customize the virtual? But with all the real living that’s possible for us – who really has time to invest in virtual living?

Then the morning news leaves off where my ipod takes over, email picks up where that leaves off, then the phone starts to ring, appointments pile up, time falls behind, errands accumulate… Before you know it, a blaze of activities, one begins before the others leave of. Books absorb us. Conversations distract us. All these things can “transport” us because our “thinking” is taken to some place else. They compress time because hours fly by. They demand our attention. But what is being taken from us? Are we choosing to apply our attention where it matters?

The wise advice of scripture is that we don’t “boast about tomorrow” (living too much in what hasn’t happened yet – James 4), nor do we live trapped in what’s already taken place (“forgetting what lies behind, we strain toward what’s ahead” – including both past successes and past victories – Philippians 3) and we avoid anything that would diminish our awareness in even the slightest way (“avoid drunkenness – it leads to debauchery” – Ephesians 5).

More and more, I’m convinced that you can string together a whole life of intermediate good things, distracting pleasures or really, really pressing and “important” things… One taking over from the other, so that they keep our minds off dreams, ultimate ends, great possibilities and being fully alive in any given moment. In fact, we can go day to day completely “occupied” without ever really even thinking at all.

In stark contrast to all this is the principle that we were made to be fully alive which is to be “awake”, “aware” and making choices. Yesterday mattered. It was important, not a place holder. It was meaningful for more than just another 24 hours spent en route to something else that would matter. And further more, some part of you died while it happened. So what did you trade it for? Did you really live yesterday? Did you live well? Because today is the beginning of a new chance to be fully alive and fully awake. What will you do with it?

We’ve been getting enough great questions for our current teaching series that I’d like to extend it to the end of February. This Sunday, we’ll take a break from our “Deep Questions” to take a look at spiritual awareness, “staying in the game” and some of what’s holding us back with Norm Bishop. You can tune into the podcast or visit our website for directions.

I hope you fully live each moment between now and then,

Chris

REMOTE CONTROL PULPIT
For the first 6 weeks of the new year, the teaching segment is completely at your disposal. Have you ever wanted something said to the people you live and work beside? Have you ever wanted to ask a question of your own? The whole series will be available for free on CD and DVD so it can travel around. Hit reply to submit a question.

THIS SUNDAY
Spiritual awareness, “staying in the game” and some of what may be holding you back with Norm Bishop.

NEXT SUNDAY
Rounding off a triplet of questions about certainty. Two Sundays ago was, “What about heaven and hell?”, last Sunday was, “Is Jesus the only way?” and next Sunday will be, “How can we really be sure?”

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