Luke 21:34-36 “But watch yourselves lest your hearts be weighed down with dissipation and drunkenness and cares of this life, and that day come upon you suddenly like a trap. For it will come upon all who dwell on the face of the whole earth. But stay awake at all times, praying that you may have strength to escape all these things that are going to take place, and to stand before the Son of Man.”
This life is full of heaviness…. and often many seek to lighten the burden through things that only temporarily ease the strain; yet more times than not these very things increase the weight. What is even worse – they dull the spiritual senses, leave a person trapped and distracted.
In the verse above it refers to the heart being weighed down. The word weighed down in the Biblical Greek means overcharged, burdened, grievous and heavy. The term heart means not just the physical heart but the thoughts, feelings, and mind plus being broken hearted.
I can’t help but notice that three things cause a heavy-hearted brokenness in one’s life: dissipation, drunkenness and the cares of this life.
Dissipation means literally a headache or seizure of pain from debauched( that is to corrupt by intemperance or sensuality and or to lead away from virtue or excellence) surfeiting (that is an intemperate or immoderate indulgence in something such as food or drink and or disgust caused by excess) gluttony.
Makes one think of having to loosen their belt after a Thanksgiving meal because they ate so much it hurts or a hangover headache from overindulgence of alcohol, caffeine laden drinks or anything over consumed that has a side effect of a headache or pain.
Drunkenness means any intoxicant- and just so happens the Greek word is methē. Makes one think of meth. SO obviously it is more than just beer and booze, it is anything that intoxicates a person from overuse or misuse.
Cares of this life means through the idea of distraction and solicitude (that is the state of being in excessive concern and anxious, eager uneasiness of mind lest some desired thing may not be obtained or some apprehended evil may happen). Makes one think of a person so worried and fearful of something going wrong and bad things coming in the future or not getting something they want and the current rise of anxiety in people today.
These three things all prevent a person from being ready for Jesus’ return…. I think we can even be so worried about the state of the world or so enamored by the world that we become heavy laden and spiritually sleepy.
How about you?
Prayerfully and Lovingly Yours, By Jesus’ Grace,
Pastor Daren Lee Barnett