1 Peter 4:7 KJV
[7] “But the end of all things is at hand: be ye therefore sober, and watch unto prayer.”
Peter admonishes the believer to be sober in this verse. In other words, we need to be serious about the Christian life. This does not mean that we cannot enjoy life or that we have to live in gloom and doom. The Lord wants us to have the fullness of joy because He knows that the joy of the Lord is our strength. However, we must be conscious of the hour in which we are living. We must be serious about winning souls and walking with God.
One of the biggest obstacles we face today is that many people come to church but take a carefree approach to the Christian life. Many want a little religion to do them for the week because they are too busy trying to live the so-called American Dream. They are not willing to commit their life more to Christ. It’s a struggle for some people to get to Sunday School on time or make it back to church on Sunday night.
Peter mentions two things in this verse that will help us to be sober-minded in these last days we are living in. The first is to remember that the end of all things is at hand. It doesn’t take a rocket scientist to look around and see that this world is not improving. We are getting closer to the end with each passing day. This should cause us all to take life and death more seriously. May God help us to wake up and work for Christ while we still have time.
The second thing he mentions to help us be sober-minded about the last days is to watch unto prayer. Prayer is the key to maintaining a keen awareness of the hour. There is always a temptation to be at ease in our Christian walk, but prayer pulls us back in line. Prayer helps us maintain a burden and gives us a sense of direction in how the Lord is moving. Prayer also gives us a clearer view of ourselves and allows us to focus on what the Lord is doing.
The society we live in today is drunk on entertainment, worldliness, and pleasures. We understand why and expect this from a sinner, but it should not be so of saints. We are to be aware of what is happening spiritually in the world around us, and we should make the most of these days. World events should hasten our desire to labor and cause us to be more dedicated to the cause of Christ. I want to encourage you to give God your best and be sober-minded. Dear reader, do not ignore the signs of the times we are living in. Pray for the salvation of those God puts in your pathway every day. Pray for open doors to share the gospel and for your local church to see revival. Be concerned about the things of God and use your time wisely as we get closer to the coming of our Savior!