It was a typical morning. After breakfast, I got ready for work and headed to the office.
I poured my coffee, settled into my chair, and began checking email. The third message in my inbox was from Amazon. The subject line read: Your Order Has Shipped.
I didn’t remember ordering anything from Amazon recently. So I clicked on the email and was shocked at what I saw. Apparently, the night before, I had sleepwalked to my computer, and placed an order. Oh, and did I mention that the order was for? Wait for it… I ordered a (dramatic pause) sewing machine!
I don’t sew. I don’t even replace buttons on shirts. To this day, I have no idea what got into my mind that night other than the fact that I take a pill to help me sleep.
Please don’t judge me. I know that sleeping pills have become controversial, especially with the recent news of people “sleep driving” and having accidents. Funny, though, I’ve never seen a nightly news story on “sleep ordering of sewing machines,” but I bet it would leave viewers in stitches (pun intended)!
Seriously, all the recent coverage of sleeping pill related accidents has caused me to consider alternative remedies. It has also reminded me of the apostle Peter’s strong admonition: “Be sober-minded; be watchful. Your adversary the devil prowls around like a roaring lion, seeking someone to devour” (I Peter 5:8).
The call to be “sober-minded” is a call to be completely aware. The opposite of sober-mindedness would be to have awareness removed, altered, or impaired. That is why today’s usage of the word sober typically revolves around drugs or alcohol.
But Peter’s meaning is stronger. It is not just a warning to avoid intoxicants, but even more, it is an admonition to pursue clear awareness.
Why is this important? Because, Peter explains, Satan is prowling around “like a roaring lion, seeking someone to devour.” Awareness is vital to the believer’s spiritual defense –especially for single adults.
Our adversary prowls around intoxicants such as:
- Attention from the opposite sex.
- Mind-numbing media.
- Obsession over past mistakes.
- Fear of being forever alone.
The Christian’s only hope for spiritual sobriety is to fix our eyes upon Jesus (Hebrews 12:2) and be filled with the Holy Spirit (Ephesians 5:18-29). That means keeping our constant gaze upon Christ. Otherwise, an extra glance toward an admirer, another hour on social media, more self-guilt over forgiven sins, and less trust in Christ’s sufficiency are all capable of becoming the tipping point between sober-mindedness and spiritual delusion. That’s exactly what Satan is waiting for –and the consequences are far worse than having an extra sewing machine on your hands!
PS. No more sleeping pills for me!