Asleep

DEVOTION

PROVERBS

ASLEEP

Prov 26:14

14 As a door turns on its hinges, so a sluggard turns on his bed.

NIV

Well it seems we have left the fool behind and are now spending some time with the sluggard. In fact the next several sayings have to do with this sluggard. All make some comparison to show his character. The last one shows us the sluggard was afraid to leave his house and go into the streets. Now we see the sluggard does indeed move. The door moves to either the open or closed position, but it moves on its hinges that are fixed to one place. Thus the sluggard stays upon his bed, simply rolling over from one side to the other, but still never gets up to do something. Again this could relate to doing something to earn a living to sustain himself. But why would God want to teach us about that? Of course that is what we are supposed to do. Once Adam sinned and ate from that tree of knowledge of good and evil he was banned from the paradise of the Garden of Eden. He was instructed, as a curse, that he would have to work by the sweat of his brow all the days of his life for his sustenance. It would make perfect sense then we too, being his descendants, being under the same curse, must work all the days of our lives for our sustenance. The sluggard fails to understand that and refuses to work, refuses to obey the command of God. But is there also a spiritual application to this saying? Do we as believers simply turn over in our beds rather than getting out in the streets. We saw this in the last proverb about being afraid of the lion. How can turning over in our bed relate to that? Maybe just doing things within the church is the same as turning over form one side to the other. Maybe we spend too much time in one ministry than another which only serves others in the church and does nothing out in the streets to share the message of Jesus. However it is true we are to encourage one another.

1 Thess 5:11

11 Therefore encourage one another and build each other up, just as in fact you are doing.

NIV

But the whole of this idea is followed up with spurring one another unto good works.

Heb 10:23-25

23 Let us hold unswervingly to the hope we profess, for he who promised is faithful. 24 And let us consider how we may spur one another on toward love and good deeds. 25 Let us not give up meeting together, as some are in the habit of doing, but let us encourage one another — and all the more as you see the Day approaching.

NIV

Some would say, Aha, here are the good works we are to be doing, we need to do good works. Yet the word translated work, directly means to be employed in business. The same word is used by Jesus in telling the parable about the man who left his servants in charge until he came back. They were to stay employed watching over his business. We could relate this to the message of salvation. We should be employed, in charge of his message, making it profitable for him, until he returns.

Mark 13:34-37

34 It's like a man going away: He leaves his house and puts his servants in charge, each with his 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. 37 What I say to you, I say to everyone: 'Watch!'" 

NIV

If all we do is stand at the door and keep watch for the return of Jesus and do nothing either to obtain our sustenance or spread the message to those in the streets, we are but turning from one side to the other in our bed, asleep. This could also apply to our own spiritual walk with the Lord. We cannot simply turn from side to side and not get up and advance in our faith, advance in the streets with the message. We cannot just stay in bed spiritual, we have to get up and eat food, work out our salvation, study the word, understand how we are holy and blameless in his sight because of his work on our behalf. We have to learn as much about him and that all things are for him, through him and about him. We are his handiwork, his glory, his inheritance. We cannot just stay in bed asleep.