"And there was a young man named Eutychus sitting on the window sill, sinking into a deep sleep; and as Paul kept on talking, he was overcome by sleep and fell down from the third floor and was picked up dead." Acts 20:9
Beloved, this started out as a light hearted tale of the dangers of falling asleep in church. At some point, we have all done it or been dangerously close to doing it. My mind raced with all of the things I've seen from the pulpit when people fall asleep, such as snoring and startling oneself awake, heads bouncing from nodding, mouths hanging open, etc.
It then occurred to me that there are larger issues. Are we sleepwalking through our spiritual lives? Are the things that God is trying to show us being missed because we are dosing? As it was with the disciples in the garden, are we leaving the Lord hanging?
It is interesting to note that the young man in the window who was evidently a Christian and was there to hear a word from the Lord not only fell asleep but fell to his death. What a great tragedy to think that we can lose consciousness of the word while literally listening to the word and fall away to our ultimate death. I guess it is not so funny after all. Let us remain focused and diligent in our Christian lives. Let us not come this far by faith and come up short.
Of course I can almost hear someone responding, "Well if the long winded preacher wasn't preaching all night the poor child would have never fallen asleep!" I guess that's sort of funny.
No it isn't.
Building God's family,
Lee
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