How to be Awakened, Even if You’re Woke

Can we just be honest? All of us share the same hard right now. Between Covid-19, social turmoil, and presidential election discord, we are embedded in a difficult season. We find ourselves at conflict within ourselves, with family members, church members, and the world. Turmoil stirs within as we check and double check our beliefs and position on a wide range of issues from how to do life with a virus to political platforms to social injustice debates. The constant tensions can push us to the brink.

What treasure can we possibly uncover in the mire we find ourselves trudging through? 

We don’t have to dig, for this treasure Iies in plain sight. Perched right there on the kitchen table or nightstand; or on a bookshelf in easy reach for Sunday mornings. The Word of God. The time to dive deep into its teachings as we seek truth and guidance is now.

Our minds process an overabundance of newscasts, podcasts, highlighted articles shared on social media, internet searches, and endless conversations. We attempt to gain knowledge for better understanding of issues and the opposing position. Or, more likely, to back up what we already believe.

But what do we receive from all our reading and listening and searching? At best some stats, historical or scientific information, quickly refuted by someone else’s research or perspective of stats, historical or scientific data. We get opinions and predictions about outcomes, all based on the veneer depth of man’s perceptions and wisdom. All this leaves us feeling frustrated, confused, uncertain, and sometimes, downright angry.

It’s time for Christ-followers to “wake up” to the only source of real Truth. From cover to cover in His Word there is no deception; there is no slant. These words don’t form from someone’s opinion. There is no doubt, and no speculation.  All the wisdom of the greatest minds on the planet since the dawn of time would fit on the head of a pin, in comparison to the vast depth of the wisdom of God. Yet, we cling to the ideas of men rather than His revelation to us.

None of these other sources can provide what we find or receive from the inerrant Word of God: Truth. Wisdom. Peace. Hope. Power. All our resources melded together give us but a pittance toward these pillars of a purposeful, power-filled life.

And yet we keep plowing through piles of information; what this person said or that group thinks. Yes, we need teachers and trusted sources to help us wade through the muck. But none of them contain God-breathed words. God inspired teaching. Absolute truth. (2 Timothy 3:16) None of them carry the weight of the words of our universe-creating, angel-army leading, salvation-producing, in-control-of and directing-all-life God.

Perhaps we should strive to give, in the least, equal time to the Words of God and the words of men. Which sounds ludicrous to say. Yet, we struggle to do just that. This fits a tactic of the enemy: to heighten what seems urgent, crowding out what’s important. 

Also, we need to do more than study what others say about Scripture; to read more than man’s thoughts about God’s Word. We must read and study the actual words of God ourselves. Found in one place. The Holy Bible. Genesis to Revelation. What a privilege. We don’t need special preparation, a doctorate, or years of training in Hebrew. Anyone can open the Bible today and God will speak to you. Read that again. Anyone. God will speak directly to you, if your heart is open. What a thrill.

We venture into our time in the Word asking God that where we lack wisdom, it will be given to us. But when we ask, we must believe and not doubt, because the one who doubts is like a wave of the sea, blown and tossed by the wind. (James 1:5-6)

Yes, we need woke to all injustice. But vitally more important, we need to awaken to God’s Word. The time we are living in requires the foundational truths and plumb line of what God reveals to us in scripture so that we are not swayed by emotion or guilt or uncertainty. “We will no longer be infants, tossed back and forth by the waves, and blown here and there by every wind of teaching and by the cunning and craftiness of people in their deceitful scheming.” (Ephesians 4:14) But we will stand firm on the Truth. 

This is our treasure in these difficult times. Readily available. Smoking with power. On fire with truth and revelation. Overflowing with love and compassion. Filled to the brim with instruction. Bursting at the seams with wisdom.

Jen Wilkins says, “Scripture is the oxygen of our faith.”  Dig in today.  And everyday. Inhale its beauty. Breathe deep the riches. Draw in truth. Insufflate wisdom and knowledge. Soak in peace and hope. Receive the power of this spiritual oxygen. Then, with the Spirit’s help, with wisdom gleaned from the Word of God, we can discern the answers we seek, and walk through this incredible time with confident peace and joy.

Thanks to Bethany Laird for sharing their work on Unsplash.