DECEMBER 1ST | THE NIGHT IS NEARLY OVER
Adams, Breanna. “The Night is Nearly Over.” Oil on Canvas.
Days and nights were different when I was younger. Before I had kids, there was the day and then the night. I did different things during those periods of time. During the day I would work, I would cook, I took care of the house, I was active. At night I would rest - maybe watch some TV, read a chapter or two, and then sleep until my day began again.
Once I had kids the whole breakdown of day and night, doing and resting, fell apart. I remember going to sleep after the 9pm feeding and thinking, “I wonder what this night will bring.” Yes, I would likely be up for more feedings, but how much crying and fussiness, or just plain old being awake, would I have to deal with?
Have you ever had an infant wake up at 2am ready for the day? During that period of my life, the night was no longer a time of sleeping, but instead a time of watchfulness. Even in my rest I was alert, ready to answer my child’s cry.
Jesus tells his followers to keep awake, to stay alert, actively waiting for the master’s return. It is a reminder to us not to be seduced by spiritual sleepiness. It is a reminder that even in the darkness of the night, we need to be preparing for the light of the day. This twilight time between the end of night and daybreak is where we live. So we stay awake, even though we are tired, even though it would be so easy to close our eyes. We stay alert, knowing the sunrise will be spectacular.