Falling Asleep At The Wheel

Over this Christmas break I did a good amount of traveling. I went to a small town called Arriba, CO. I went there to pick-up and drop off two of our sons for Christmas.

From Leon to Arriba is 436.43 Miles and it takes about 6 hours and 37 minutes one way. So just driving time alone, not including stops is over 13 hours of driving. After doing this drive I am amazed at how truck driver can make their long trips. I thank God that He called me to be a preacher. I do not think I could handle being a truck driver. I kept falling asleep all throughout the drive. God was watching over me because I think I was asleep at the wheel more than I was awake at the wheel.

Looking back at the drive I believe God gave me a message to share with each of you today. He led me to….

1 Thessalonians 5:6 So then, let us not be like others, who are asleep, but let us be awake and sober.

I want to encourage you this morning to stay alert and focused in you Christian life. Life is not easy and it can become long and boring at times. Looking back at my drive all I can say is:…

I.IT’S A LONG RIDE

A.My drive last week was a long boring drawn out thing. I had already made this drive the week prior and found myself falling asleep because none of it was keeping my attention. It was a long ride and boredom set in.

1.I believe we are our own worst enemies when it comes to being bored in this life. We have tainted our very lives with too much of a good thing and have lost our focus on the simpler things in life. I am reminded of:

Proverbs 25: 16-17 16 If you find honey, eat just enough— too much of it, and you will vomit. 17 Seldom set foot in your neighbor’s house— too much of you, and they will hate you.

2.Many children in today’s world have a room full of action figures, video games, cable TV, VCR, a huge collection of video tapes, every piece of sports equipment known to man, their own telephone, a fully loaded computer with Internet access — but they don’t have anything to do. They say their bored.

3. Boredom is the plague of every parent with a child out of school. The cries of “I’m bored” seem to begin just hours after school lets out.

4.We all want the next best thing in life. It seems that we are all addicts of technology; we live in a fast paced world of fast food, Microwaves, PPV, and the internet. We have become numb and bored with life unless we have that quick fix that excites the flesh.

5.Life is much like a long ride. After a while we become bored and un- interested with the simple things in life and we forget what brings true pleasure and excitement in this life. And if we are not alert, we fall asleep to that which is important. We need to……..

Mark 13:33-36 Be on guard! Be alert! 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.

6.The time, that day or hour of which Jesus speaks is, of course, the Last Day when Jesus, "the Son of Man” will come.

7.I think about that glorious day when He comes back for us and I for one do not want to be caught sleeping because I allowed the things of this world to blind me. I also think that in order for us to stay awake, we need to…

II.SET SOME GOALS

A.I was falling asleep during my drive and I knew I had to do something to keep awake. I told myself that I would stop in the next town and get something to drink or eat. This inspired me, it gave me something to look forward to and as I continued driving I found the drive to be somewhat better as I had some goals set during the drive. Isn’t this how life is as well?

1.Looking at the current time of the year we see this to be very prevalent in our society. We get excited as we look to the Christmas season, we look forward to seeing our loved ones, we look forward to the gathering, the food, the pure excitement of it all keeps our focus.