John Elliott had logged many miles through the deep snows of the mountain passes of the Rockies in south-western Alberta. As dusk and exhaustion overcame him, he decided to rest. He made it wearily to his cabin, but was so tired that it didn’t cross his mind to light a fire or put on warm clothes. Outside the blizzard continued to thrash the old cabin walls, but Elliot fell silent, paralyzed by the lure of sweet sleep.

Suddenly, his dog, a St. Bernard, sprang into action and, with unrelenting whines, finally managed to rouse his near-comatose master.

"If that dog hadn’t been with me, I’d be dead today," Elliott said. "When you’re freezing to death, you actually feel warm all over and don’t wake up because it feels too good."

This moving story illustrates the spiritual condition of many Christian people today. They are cold spiritually and oblivious of their true condition.

But God is close by to arouse such sleepers. He sends messengers to nudge them awake. So, if you’re feeling sleepy, don’t ignore God’s prodding. Instead, thank Him for His loving disturbances and look at God's loving intrusions (sorrow and pain are often the nudging of God) as His plan to awaken you so you will continue to grow in grace (to become Christ-like).