Introduction

Some mornings feel like mercy. The light slips under the blinds, the scent of coffee drifts through the house, and you think, “I can do today.” Other mornings feel heavy. The alarm sounds like a siren, the covers cling like chains, and your mind measures all the miles ahead. We’ve all known both mornings. And if we’re honest, we’ve known both in the soul too. Some days our hearts hum with hope; other days, the heart hits snooze.

Scripture speaks to that sleepy place within us. Paul paints a picture we understand: an alarm clock in the kingdom, a sunrise that won’t be stopped, a Savior who stands at the door, knocking softly but steadily. He whispers, Wake from your sleep. He reminds us that night will not last forever, and daylight is already licking the horizon. He invites us to trade pajamas for armor—cast off the works of darkness, and put on the Lord Jesus Christ. Can you hear the clock? Can you sense the sun?

Tim Keller once said, “The gospel is this: We are more sinful and flawed in ourselves than we ever dared believe, yet at the very same time we are more loved and accepted in Jesus Christ than we ever dared hope.” —Tim Keller

That sentence feels like sunrise to a shivering soul. It tells us truth that tenderly tugs on the covers. Yes, we’ve stumbled. Yes, we’ve slept through alarms. But yes, we are welcomed. Yes, we are wanted. Grace stands at the edge of the bed with a gentle smile and a strong hand, saying, “Up you get.” Because God’s morning is moving in. His mercy is moving us forward. His love is ready to dress us for the day.

Maybe you’re weary today—weighted with worry, worn by waiting, wondering if your faith still fits. Hear this: the King is closer than you think. The clock is clicking toward hope, not despair. And what if this very hour is a holy alarm? What if this is the moment you open your eyes to fresh mercy, throw back the covers of compromise, and slip into the shining strength of Christ? Wake up. Cast off. Put on. Simple words, sacred work, Spirit-powered.

Let’s read the words that call us to rise:

Romans 13:11-14 “Besides this you know the time, that the hour has come for you to wake from sleep. For salvation is nearer to us now than when we first believed. The night is far gone; the day is at hand. So then let us cast off the works of darkness and put on the armor of light. Let us walk properly as in the daytime, not in orgies and drunkenness, not in sexual immorality and sensuality, not in quarreling and jealousy. But put on the Lord Jesus Christ, and make no provision for the flesh, to gratify its desires.”

Before we step further into this call, let’s pray.

Opening Prayer: Father, thank You for a new day of grace. Thank You for the light that rises even when our hearts feel dim. Wake us by Your Word. Stir our sleepy souls. By Your Spirit, help us cast off every shadow that clings and every habit that harms. Clothe us with the Lord Jesus—His purity, His peace, His power. Comfort the weary, steady the anxious, and strengthen the willing. Make our minds alert to Your truth, our hearts soft to Your whisper, and our wills ready for obedience. Let the light of Christ lead us, guard us, and glow through us. In the strong and saving name of Jesus we pray, amen.

Wake from Your Sleep

Paul speaks like a man who hears the clock of heaven. He says the hour has come. He wants hearts that pay attention. He wants lives that respond. He is calling for alert faith.

This call begins with a simple question. Do you know what time it is in God’s plan? Time shapes choices. When the hour is late, you do not stall. Paul says the hour has arrived. There is no need to wait for a better mood. There is no need to wait for perfect conditions. Today counts. God is moving right now. So open your eyes to grace that is present. Open your ears to truth that is speaking. Wakeful faith does not rush in panic. It rises with purpose. It asks, What faith step is next? What sin must end? What word should I speak? What apology must I make? What habit belongs in the light? The Spirit helps you answer. Take one step while the hour is here.

Paul adds a strong hope. He says our rescue is closer than when we first believed. That is true with every breath you take. Your future with Christ comes nearer with each passing day. Nothing stalls the plan of God. Years can be long. Suffering can feel heavy. Prayers can seem slow. Yet the finish line is not moving away. The promise holds steady. This gives comfort when you feel worn. It gives courage when you face old temptations. It gives patience when change takes time. Your King has not forgotten you. He keeps you, and He will complete what He began.

This nearness of salvation is not a date to guess. It is a lens for living. It shapes how you speak and spend and serve. It steadies your heart on hard days. It brings a calm pace to your work. It softens harsh words before they leave your mouth. It teaches you to number your days and use them well. You can plan without fear, because God holds the seasons. You can wait without despair, because Christ secured the future. You can love without guarding yourself, because your hope does not rest on the outcome of today. Paul wants faith that looks ahead and then lives well in the present. When you remember how close you are to the final welcome, you will hold your plans with open hands. You will set your eyes on the Lord and take the next right step with a steady soul.

Paul then names things that belong to the dark. He is plain. He lists parties that harm the body. He names drunken excess. He speaks against sexual misuse. He points to public conflict like quarreling and envy. These words are old, but they fit our streets and screens. They describe habits that promise comfort and leave us empty. They break trust. They blur our minds. They stir chaos in homes and churches. Paul’s call is clear. Lay these practices aside. Do this with honest confession to God. Do this with a trusted friend who will pray and ask you hard questions. Put guardrails where you fall. Change the path that leads to the door of sin. Fill the empty space with good. Serve someone. Give something away. Read Scripture out loud. Rest your body. Starve the old appetites. Feed new ones. The Spirit trains your desires as you walk. Grace does not shrug at sin. Grace breaks its grip and builds a new way to live.

He also tells us to live as people who stand in open light. That means integrity. What you are at home and what you are in public begin to match. Your words carry weight because your life carries weight. People around you may not agree with your faith. They can still see a clean life. They can still see steady love. They can still see peace that does not shake with every headline. This is how the day shows in you.

Paul gives one more command that holds the whole passage together. He says to put on the Lord Jesus Christ. This is more than copying good deeds. This is union with Him. His life becomes your life-source. His strength meets your weakness. His mind sets the pattern for your thoughts. His mercy shapes your tone. Each morning you can say, Jesus, lead my words, my eyes, my plans. Set reminders that turn your heart toward Him. A verse on the wall. A short prayer before each meeting. A song that lifts your eyes while you commute. Keep close to His people. Share the Lord’s Table. Sit under the Word. These ordinary graces wrap your life in Christ. As He surrounds you, old cravings lose space to grow. You are not fighting alone. You are living from a new wardrobe that fits your new name. Christ covers shame. Christ fills lack. Christ teaches your hands to serve and your tongue to bless.

Some of us fear we will sleep through change. Hear this. The call to wake comes with power to rise. God does not only command. He helps. Ask for help again. Ask for desire to want what is good. Ask for holy stubbornness when you feel weak. Ask friends to carry you in prayer on hard days. Small steps count. Five honest minutes in Scripture. A text that asks forgiveness. A pause that stops the angry reply. These are signs of life.

Others carry habits that started small and grew. Do not make room for them. Cut off secret access points. Put your phone away from your bed. Tell someone where you are tempted. Let them ask you about it. Bring your body into obedience through simple limits. Go to bed earlier. Eat in a way that serves your health. Move your body. These small acts serve your soul more than you think. You are training, not performing. God meets you in these places.

This call is not only personal. It is shared. A whole church can wake at once. We can move toward honest fellowship. We can sing like people who mean the words. We can welcome the lonely. We can speak peace to heated rooms. We can keep short accounts. We can bless our city in quiet ways that stack up over years. Light spreads when a people live this way.

If your past feels heavy, remember where you stand. You are in Christ if you trust Him. You stand in grace. You are not earning a place. You are living from the place He gave you. So lift your head. Open your Bible. Open your mouth in prayer. Open your hands to serve. The Lord is near.

Cast Off the Works of Darkness

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