“Feb 13, 2024 - The Sober Life”

Monday, February 12, 2024

The Sober Life

Reading:  1 Thessalonians 5:7-11
    
    As we wait for Jesus’ return, Christians run the risk of losing sight of the goal and being caught unprepared.  “So then let us not sleep, as others do, but let us keep away and be sober.  For those who sleep, sleep at night, and those who get drunk, are drunk at night.  But since we belong to the day, let us be sober”(1 Thess 5:6-8).  In Paul’s analogy, those who thrive in the nighttime are those who seek to be inactive (“sleep”) or wicked (“drunk”).  They seek the cover of darkness to cloak their choices.  Jesus’ disciples have no need to hide their deeds; “we belong to the day.”  We do not have to be embarrassed anymore.  Now our aim is to live the sober life.

    Paul elaborates on the sober life.  “Let us be sober, having put on the breastplate of faith and love, and for a helmet the hope of salvation”(1 Thess 5:8).  We focus on what we believe, not what we would like or what we can get away with.  We live from a heart of love rather than selfish ambition.  These motivations are like a breastplate that protects us from inaction or temptation.  Meanwhile we cling earnestly to “the hope of salvation,” reminding ourselves continually that we are still waiting for the culmination of our hope.  Faith, love, and hope make us into different kinds of people and keep our eyes ahead.  We live seriously, determinedly, wisely, and passionately.  This is the sober life.  “Therefore encourage one another and build one another up, just as you are doing”(1 Thess 5:11).

    Sobriety is not restricted to alcohol.  It does not mean that we are joyless party ruiners.  Paul wants us to be a people who take serious things seriously and structure our lives around our most important decisions, promises, and beliefs.  

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One Thing to Think About:   Would others consider me a sober person?

One Thing to Pray For:  The desire to “encourage one another and build one another up”
 

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