Wake Up O Sleeper
- Heather Baird
- 3 days ago
- 7 min read
Over the last few years, I’ve felt a stirring in my spirit, an urgency. In 2023 the word God gave me for the year was RUN. It was an emphasis that it was time to stop walking and get serious. Eyes on the finish line, alert, and focused, because we were in the last leg of the race.
Then two years ago, I had a dream. My husband and I were in the foyer of a large building. A wall of windows surrounding us, the sun shining in. Nathan was talking with another gentleman, holding our youngest son. I was standing beside him quietly listening, taking it all in. As I stood there, I noticed all these women in what looked like nun habits leading children into the adjacent building.
Then one of them came over, reached out her arms to my husband, and he handed our son to her. They were the last ones walking to the building. As they turned, she held the door open, looked up, and smiled, but in that moment, I knew something was wrong. I sprang into action and ran towards the door, but as I placed my hand on the closing door handle the building blew up.
And then I woke up. A scream in my throat, drenched in sweat, and feeling like I was going to throw up. I didn’t go back to sleep that night. I wrestled with that dream for weeks. Asking God, for insight and revelation.
Two things I feel are relevant here are, first, my husband and the other man were completely unaware of what was happening. They were distracted. Secondly, I was aware of what was taking place, but I didn’t fully comprehend the situation, and didn’t step into action until it was too late. And I wonder if this is an illustration of the American Church today. Have we fallen asleep in our apathy, complacency, and distraction?
Now let me take you to the Garden of Gethsemane where Jesus retreated to pray and be with the Father the night before he was crucified. It was around midnight. He took his inner circle, Peter, the Rock, and James and John, the Sons of Thunder.
Matthew 26:40
40 Then he returned to his disciples and found them sleeping. “Couldn’t you men keep watch with me for one hour?” he asked Peter.
It happened three times. Three times! Jesus had told them over and over what was about to happen, but I don’t think they fully grasped the times they were living in. They were standing at the precipice of the cross, at the catalyst of eternity being changed forever, yet they were falling asleep!
And I wonder if we’re the same. In Mark 13 the disciples asked Jesus what the signs will be of his return. He talked about wars, rumors of war, nation against nation, earthquakes, famine, pestilence, the fig tree (Israel), the increase of knowledge (AI and Quantum computing?).
In 2 Timothy 3: 1-4 it says this.
3 But mark this: There will be terrible times in the last days. 2 People will be lovers of themselves, lovers of money, boastful, proud, abusive, disobedient to their parents, ungrateful, unholy, 3 without love, unforgiving, slanderous, without self-control, brutal, not lovers of good, 4 treacherous, rash, conceited, lovers of pleasure rather than lovers of God— 5 having a form of godliness but denying its power.
Sound familiar? Luke 21:28 tells us, “ 28 When these things begin to take place, stand up and lift up your heads, because your redemption is drawing near.” I believe just like the disciples we’re on the doorstep, but this time it’s of his soon coming return.
The Parable of the Ten Virgins warns us to stay alert, ready, and waiting.
Matthew 25: 1-6
25 “At that time the kingdom of heaven will be like ten virgins who took their lamps and went out to meet the bridegroom. 2 Five of them were foolish and five were wise. 3 The foolish ones took their lamps but did not take any oil with them. 4 The wise ones, however, took oil in jars along with their lamps. 5 The bridegroom was a long time in coming, and they all became drowsy and fell asleep.
6 “At midnight the cry rang out: ‘Here’s the bridegroom! Come out to meet him!’
Again, it’s almost midnight and they’ve fallen asleep!
I want you to see something.
This is the Dooms Day Clock. It’s scientists’ prediction of our impending doom, end. Look at the time. 89 seconds to Midnight! I find it interesting, even the world knows the hour we’re in. Does the church?
As this has all been percolating in my brain an analogy came to me. I have three children and we’re early risers, whether we like it or not! We get up at o’dark thirty (5:30 am) in the Baird household. As I go to each room in the morning, I turn on their lamps and gently rub backs, softly telling each of them it’s time to get up.
That’s all it takes for one of my kids. Sometimes it doesn’t even take that. He’ll get up before the alarm even goes off, gets dressed, makes his bed, starts putting his lunch together. He’s on it.
But it usually takes a second round for the other two. This time the ceiling light comes on. It’s a shaking of the shoulder and my normal voice. This gets my second one up.
Then… we have our last one! He’s my night owl. Mornings are not his thing. I usually have to pull him out of bed. Sometimes it requires physically helping him get dressed in his half slumber. There’s an urgency in my warning as I tell him how many minutes we have before the bus arrives.
And I think this is how we are, all his children, each with different personalities. This is when he brought me to the seven churches in Revelation. Revelation 2-3. I encourage you to take the time to read all of them, and ask God to reveal where you fall in.
But for today, I want to hone in on the Church of Sardis in Revelation 3:1-6
3 “To the angel[a] of the church in Sardis write:
These are the words of him who holds the seven spirits[b] of God and the seven stars. I know your deeds; you have a reputation of being alive, but you are dead. 2 Wake up! Strengthen what remains and is about to die, for I have found your deeds unfinished in the sight of my God. 3 Remember, therefore, what you have received and heard; hold it fast, and repent. But if you do not wake up, I will come like a thief, and you will not know at what time I will come to you.
4 Yet you have a few people in Sardis who have not soiled their clothes. They will walk with me, dressed in white, for they are worthy. 5 The one who is victorious will, like them, be dressed in white. I will never blot out the name of that person from the book of life, but will acknowledge that name before my Father and his angels. 6 Whoever has ears, let them hear what the Spirit says to the churches.
I’ve learned that if God repeats something we better listen. Like a parent, giving the final warning. What struck me as I read through these churches is that each one said this. “He who has an ear, let him hear what the Spirit says to the churches.” Revelation 2:7, 2:11, 2:17, 2:29, 3:6, 3:13, and 3:22
The question becomes; do we have ears to hear what he’s saying? Are we awake enough to comprehend the times we’re living in?
Revival is a common term we hear in churches. It’s the spiritual awakening of the church, Christians. There’s a quote by Leonard Ravinhill that says, “Maybe you are the key to revival in your church.” And I’ve wondered if perhaps it should just be, maybe you are the key to revival.
Because when Jesus died on the cross and the veil was torn, we became the temple, the church. You and me. A place for the living God to enter and take residency.
Gypsy Smith said, “Go home… Lock yourself in your room… Kneel down in the middle of the floor and with a piece of chalk, draw a circle round yourself… There, on your knees, pray fervently and brokenly, that God would start a Revival within that chalk circle!”
I get this image as we sit and wait, his presence falls, like tongues of fire, just like the upper room. But the chalk line turns to oil, his anointing, and bursts into flame. And as we rise, we catch flame too, and as we live life in our homes, workplaces, and communities the embers of our life blow onto those around us, catching them aflame too.
He told us to GO! Go into all the world and make disciples. The hour is late, time is running short, and the harvest is great. Do we have an ear to hear what he has to say today, eyes to see?
~ Mark 13:32-37
The Day and Hour Unknown
32 “But about that day or hour no one knows, not even the angels in heaven, nor the Son, but only the Father. 33 Be on guard! Be alert[a]! You do not know when that time will come. 34 It’s like a man going away: He leaves his house and puts his servants in charge, each with their assigned task, and tells the one at the door to keep watch.
35 “Therefore keep watch because you do not know when the owner of the house will come back—whether in the evening, or at midnight, or when the rooster crows, or at dawn. 36 If he comes suddenly, do not let him find you sleeping. 37 What I say to you, I say to everyone: ‘Watch!’”
~ Revelation 3:19-20
19 Those whom I love I rebuke and discipline. So be earnest and repent. 20 Here I am! I stand at the door and knock. If anyone hears my voice and opens the door, I will come in and eat with that person, and they with me.
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