The Awakening initiative, led by Pastor Stovall Weems of Celebration Church in Jacksonville, Florida, is already in its 18th day. And the hundreds of thousands of participants are being told to get back to falling in love with Jesus again.
“The problem is today many Christians are lethargic, they're burned out and they're living lives no different than those of unbelievers,” said Warren in his brief video greeting to Awakening participants. “They need to fall in love with Jesus all over again. That's what awakening is all about – getting close to Jesus Christ.”
This is the third year that the Awakening is taking place. More than 1,040 churches, representing more than one million people around the world, have joined to pray and fast for the purpose of drawing closer to God. And this year, the initiative added a 21-day virtual conference with inspiring messages from over 70 influential church leaders.
In a message broadcast this week, Warren read a letter he received from a Christian leader some time ago. The unidentified leader expressed frustrations with “going through the motions”, “business as usual” and boredom.
“That represents a lot of people who need a fresh awakening of God in their heart,” Warren said. And an awakening happens “when we fall in love with Jesus again.”
“Life is all about love,” the southern California pastor highlighted, citing the two greatest commandments Jesus identified – to love God and to love your neighbour.
Warren noted that when Christians stop spending time with God, it is noticeable, especially as it comes out in one’s attitude.
Speaking from experience, he explained, "If I don’t spend time with God that day, I know it. If I don’t spend time with God for a couple of days, my wife begins to notice. If I don’t spend time with God for about a week, everybody else notices. It comes out in my attitude because I’m sharp, I’m not loving, I’m critical, I’m impatient, I can be cranky.”
Warren continued, “[But] when you are filled with love it pushes all those things out the back door. The only way you get that love is spending time with Jesus.”
