Enriched in Every Way

~~~ 1 Cor 1:1-9 ~~~Psalm 145 ~~~ Matthew 24: 42-51 ~~~

"Stay awake!
For you do not know on which day your Lord will come..."

 

If we are to take this verse literally I guess we would never get any rest.

We would always be on the lookout for the coming of the Lord.

So eventually as a result of sleep deprivation we would experience

hallucinations and begin to see the coming of the Lord.

 

When the Lord does come for us it will not be a sleep deprived

induced hallucination.

So if God did not mean for us to take this in the literal context,

what does it mean?

 

If we are awake to the many ways in which God blesses us

we will not be surprised when he comes.

We must stay awake so as to never take things for granted.

It is so easy to be complacent, especially when things are going well.

It is easier to stay awake when you are in troubled or dark times.

Staying awake does not imply that you are in the disposition

to receive the Lord though. They are not one in the same.

 

Paul gives us some insight into why we should stay awake.

Paul helps us to see how it is possible to stay awake.

 

First of all we should stay awake because we

"...have been sanctified in Christ Jesus, called to be holy..."

 

How can we read those words and then refuse to stay awake.

Paul also reminds us through his letter to the Corinthians that

in him, Jesus, we were enriched in every way.

 

As a former teacher of those children who were gifted and talented,

part of my responsibility was to enrich their educational experience.

We have numerous food products on the market today that are enriched with extra nutrients and vitamins.

We can enrich the soil in our gardens through fertilizers.

Paul says we were enriched in every way.

His words are all inclusive.

How many ways could we be enriched by God?

 

Let's examine the word enrich.

The dictionary:

to make rich or richer especially by the addition or increase

of some desirable quality, attribute, or ingredient.

to add beauty to

to enhance the taste of

improving the nutritive value of food

especially by restoring part of the nutrients lost in precessing

to process so as to add or increase the proportion of a desirable ingredient.

 

Surely through the grace of God which Paul speaks of often

we have been granted access to every desirable quality and attribute.

Jesus modeled for us all of these enriched qualities.

We are capable of seeing the hidden beauty all around us

if we but stay awake.

 

Jesus came to restore us to the fullness

of relationship with our creator.

Jesus is the one who embodies all

of what the word enrich means.

 

Enrich is to make something more full,

more meaningful,

and more rewarding.

Does this not describe the person of Jesus?

The promise of everlasting life makes

everything more meaningful

and more rewarding.

If we stay awake we will appreciate more deeply.

 

Paul further says

"...you are not lacking in any spiritual gift as you wait..."

 

While we may feel inadequate in many ways

let those words of Paul inspire you.

You are not lacking in any spiritual gift.

 So what are you

waiting for?

What are you looking for?

You have been enriched in all things in all ways.

We have every reason to join the psalmist...

"...tell of your wondrous works..."

 

 

We have been called, sanctified, enriched and are not lacking.

When you consider all of this packed into one sentence

you have been prepared to stay awake.

Prepared for your soul to be awake does not mean

your physical eyes are also open.

You can be physically asleep in your bed and still

remain awake in your heart for the coming of the Lord.

 

It is dependent on the disposition of your heart.

If your heart is closed then you cannot be truly awake.

If your heart is clouded with sin

you cannot stay awake;

 it would be far too painful to endure.

 

If you are concerned about 'staying awake'

ask for that new heart to replace your heart of stone.

God is faithful...

It is worth 'staying awake'.