our daily bread

[Dexu Xia]

Wake-Up Call!

Wake up! Strengthen what remains and is about to die, for I have found your deeds unfinished in the sight of my God. Revelation 3:2

During the years when I traveled frequently and stayed in a different city every night, I always scheduled a wake-up call when I checked into a hotel. Along with a personal alarm, I needed a jangling telephone to help get me out of bed and moving in the morning.

The book of Revelation contains a spiritual wake-up call in the apostle John’s letters to the seven churches in the province of Asia. To the church in Sardis he wrote this message from Jesus Himself: “I know your deeds; you have a reputation of being alive, but you are dead. Wake up! Strengthen what remains and is about to die, for I have found your deeds unfinished in the sight of my God” (Rev. 3:1–2).

Lord, enable us to hear and respond to Your call today.

In the midst of spiritual fatigue, we may fail to notice the lethargy that creeps into our relationship with God. But the Lord tells us to “remember . . . what you have received and heard; hold it fast, and repent” (v. 3).

Many people find that scheduling some extra time each morning to read the Bible and talk to the Lord in prayer helps them stay spiritually alert. It’s not a job but a joy to spend time with Jesus and know that He prepares us for whatever lies ahead that day.

Lord, enable us to hear and respond to Your wake-up call today.

Read In His Presence from Discovery Series. 

Spending time with Jesus is a joy!

警醒

你要警醒！坚固那剩下将要衰微的，因我见你的行为，在我上帝面前，没有一样是完全的。-启示录3章2节

当年，我经常需要出国，每晚都在不同的城市过夜。每当下榻一间旅馆，我总会要求旅馆服务员隔天早晨叫醒我。因为除了闹钟之外，我还需要刺耳的电话铃声，提醒我应该起床，开始一天的行程。

启示录记载了使徒约翰写信给亚西亚七个教会的一个属灵提醒。使徒约翰把从耶稣所领受的信息告诉撒狄教会，说：“我知道你的行为，按名你是活的，其实是死的。你要警醒！坚固那剩下将要衰微的，因我见你的行为，在我上帝面前，没有一样是完全的。”（启示录3章1-2节）

灵命枯干的时候，我们可能忽略了自己和上帝的关系已逐渐冷淡。但是上帝提醒我们：“要回想你是怎样领受，怎样听见的，又要遵守，并要悔改。”（3节）

许多人都察觉到，每日清晨安排一段时间阅读圣经，在祷告中向主倾诉心声，能有助于保持属灵的警醒。这并不是例行公事，而是喜乐地花时间亲近耶稣，且知道祂已预备了我们，去面对一整天的生活。

亲爱的主耶稣，
求祢让我们今天就能听见祢的提醒，
并能做出回应。

与主亲近，何等喜乐