Awake

Last week was crazy for me, and I never got around to doing the Five Minute Friday on time. I don't want to miss a week though, so I'm posting it a bit late.

AWAKE

I always find it disconcerting when I'm driving and suddenly realize I can't remember the last five miles. Clearly, I'm awake because I haven't crashed (yet!), but my mind has been elsewhere. I haven't been alert and focused on the task at hand.

When thinking about things from a spiritual perspective, I strive to be more than simply conscious. I want to be alert, focused, and sensitive to the Holy Spirit.

Having an active, living faith means more than simply knowing about His grace, mercy and eternity. My heart and soul needs to be alert to the quickening of the Spirit.

Am I truly:

AWAKE to His mercies that are new every morning, or after I have repented, do I carry around guilt for past mistakes and not forgive myself?

AWAKE to the all-sufficiency of His grace or do I continue to live in self-imposed bondage?

AWAKE to the gift of spending eternity with Him? Does this determine the choices I make on a daily basis in how I serve Him and spend my time?

I am reminded of the first verse to an old hymn:

Open my eyes, that I may see
glimpses of truth thou hast for me;
place in my hands the wonderful key,
that shall unclasp and set me free.
Silently now I wait for thee,
ready, my God, thy will to see.
Open my eyes, illumine me, Spirit divine!


Reader's note: I did exceed the five minute limit in order to accurately copy the words to the hymn, as accuracy is important to me when I'm quoting any other source.