Casting Crowns – “Awaken Me” (Devotional)
Awaken Me – Isaiah 6; Prodigal Son Chapter 17
The prodigal son is definitely a theme in this record because itΓÇÖs a theme in my life. It seems like every time I go to this story I see something new, because there are a lot of different people in this story. It’s not really the story of the prodigal son, itΓÇÖs the story of two sons. The story when one son bought the lie that he could go free and have everything that was already his, but have it now. The lie that his life would be so much better.┬á He bought the lie and he spent everything he had and found himself eating with the pigs. The son found himself in the dirtiest place with the dirtiest things, and even found himself being envious of what the pigs had to eat. He had hit the bottom. The son did not listen to the word of God.
I think the very first thing the enemy comes after is your time with God. HeΓÇÖs going to try to separate you from God’s word, because God’s word reminds us of who we are and it reminds us of who He is.
Maybe youΓÇÖve had moments like that. Verse 17 has always stuck out to me because it says, ΓÇ£and when he came to himself,ΓÇ¥ it says, ΓÇ£I will arise and go back to my father.ΓÇ¥ Have you ever had that moment? I have been in several moments in my life as a believer where I just got off track. I think the very first thing the enemy comes after is your time with God. HeΓÇÖs going to try to separate you from God’s word, because God’s word reminds us of who we are and it reminds us of who He is. So when IΓÇÖm getting into God’s Word he is reminding me of these things, and the Holy Spirit is reminding me of what I have read, so the enemy needs me away from this. When my counsel stops being God’s word and it starts being how I feel, what I hear, and the situations that IΓÇÖm in things go from black and white to grey.
The Holy Spirit in our life is the GPS. HeΓÇÖs pointing us back to the Father all the time.
Then there are things that we do and ways that we will think where we rationalize things that we would never have thought before, and we can find ourselves in some pretty dark places. I can remember those moments in my life, when in the middle of all of that – being in control by having what I wanted or whatever I was chasing at the time, and suddenly just thinking ΓÇ£what am I doing? This is not who I am.ΓÇ¥
That’s the Holy Spirit. ThatΓÇÖs what weΓÇÖve been talking about through some of these songs, how the Holy Spirit in our life is the GPS. HeΓÇÖs pointing us back to the Father all the time. The most miserable person on the earth is not someone who probably doesnΓÇÖt have Jesus; the most miserable person is someone who has Jesus in them and is running from Him, because you canΓÇÖt get away from God’s love. You canΓÇÖt get away from the Holy Spirit in you.
I tell my students a lot, if Jesus is ever getting in your way, youΓÇÖre going the wrong way.
This song ΓÇ£Awaken MeΓÇ¥ is that moment. It’s the moment where the Holy Spirit in you stirs you in the middle of the circus weΓÇÖve found ourselves in – whatever deep sleep we found ourselves in and says this is not who you are. ItΓÇÖs when Jesus steps in your way. I tell my students a lot, if Jesus is ever getting in your way, youΓÇÖre going the wrong way. This is one of those moments where we realize God is loving me back to him right now. HeΓÇÖs not saying youΓÇÖre a bad Christian and youΓÇÖre in big trouble – HeΓÇÖs saying, ΓÇ£Let me free you from this. This is hurting you. Come let me fill those needs in your life.ΓÇ¥
The scriptures that went along with ΓÇ£Awaken MeΓÇ¥ are found in Isaiah. Isaiah Chapter Six: In a dark time in his life the Lord stepped in and I remember when he saw the Lord the first thing he thought was ΓÇ£Woe is me, donΓÇÖt look at me, IΓÇÖm dark, IΓÇÖve got nothing. I dwell in a land of people with unclean lips, my lips are unclean. IΓÇÖm not worthy of you,ΓÇ¥ and those moments are when God comes to us and says, ΓÇ£No, let me free you from this.ΓÇ¥ This song is that prayer. ItΓÇÖs that moment when I hear God wake me up from a deep sleep. Wake up oΓÇÖ sleeper, and let Christ shine down on you.
Are you sleeping? Ask the Lord to awaken you and light a desire for Him and His word.