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God loves us. Whatever I have done, whatever situations I have been through, God loves me. Thus, before the foundation of the world, he predestined us to be holy and blameless in his sight (Eph 1:4).
What account will I give to God of my life?
Our lives are fragile. At any moment, I could lose my life. What will I do if I have not loved God, if I have not served him? Moreover, if he were to call me now, what would I say I had done with my life? He has given me 10, 15, 30, 40, 50, 80 years or more! What shall I offer Him? Could I say: ‘Lord, you have given me a life; here is what I bring to you.’ ’ Thus, I realise that the essence of my life is to love God, to turn to Him, for the One who creates a device is the One who knows its instructions best. If you do not follow the dosage instructions for a medicine, you risk poisoning yourself. God, who created me, knows best the purpose of my life. Many people are unaware of this reality. Consequently, there are many people, even Christians, who die without having truly lived well. Many people simply pass through life like the wind.
Loving God: the purpose and essence of existence
God created you so that you might love him, serve him and have eternal life. This is the true purpose for which you live and must live, though you may even have forgotten it. Each day is meant for loving God. ‘You shall love the Lord your God with all your soul, with all your mind, and with all your strength’ (Mark 12:32).
Distraction as a trick of the devil to divert us from our purpose
One of the devil’s tricks is to distract us from our main purpose. Distraction is not limited to prayer, but also occurs in everyday life. You know the purpose of your life, the reason you ought to live, yet you begin to seek a secondary objective which you then turn into your primary goal.
Sleep as a weapon of the devil
One of the greatest dangers of the spiritual life is sleep, which must be fought against. Anyone who dozes off at the wheel of a vehicle can cause tragedies. Yet many are asleep in their spiritual lives, even when they are not snoring; or else they are spiritually drowsy, distracted, not focused on what is essential, and thus lose their way. ‘Since you know what time it is, it is now time to wake up from your sleep ’ (Rom 13:11). God’s ‘today’ proves that every moment is the right time to love him; every day is a fitting day to love God. All the more so during Lent. ‘Now is the time to wake from your sleep. For salvation is nearer to us now than when we first believed. The night is far spent, the day is at hand; let us therefore cast off the works of darkness and put on the light’ (ibid).
A lack of spiritual challenge as the cause of our slumber
Generally speaking, we lack spiritual challenge. After his prayer in Gethsemane, Jesus found his disciples asleep. He said to Peter: ‘Simon, are you asleep? Could you not keep watch for one hour? ’ (Mark 14:37). Jesus might well ask us this question today. ‘You? Are you asleep? Have you been unable to keep watch in your spiritual life?’ It is deplorable! How is it that you are already tired of loving Jesus? Often, people pray like this: ‘Lord, look upon me, your child. My God, I who love you, what have I done in my life that you do not listen to me?’ Wake up, wake up! Now is the time; shake off your slumber!
Being able to remain awake in prayer
Why do you say you’re tired of serving God? Why are you sleeping? True rest is in Paradise! True peace for a student is when they pass their exam. The saints worked tirelessly until the end of their lives. Baba Simon, in northern Cameroon, devoted himself to the cause, even walking barefoot across the Kirdi Mountains, with very little rest. A truly spiritual man does not fall asleep; a truly spiritual woman does not grow weary. Mother Teresa used to say: ‘I shall die standing!’ Meaning: ‘I shall die whilst working for you, Lord.’ ‘Watch and pray, lest you fall into temptation. The spirit is willing, but the flesh is weak.’ Lent is an opportunity to stay alert and not to sink into spiritual slumber.
Henri Bayemi
