S(Luke 21:34) But watch yourselves lest your hearts be weighed down with dissipation and drunkenness and cares of this life, and that day will come upon you suddenly like a trap.
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Here in Jesus' warning about world events when He returns, He provides "insider information" about how to stay safe. His two positive calls are to stay watchful (keeping one's brain alert, attentive, and high functioning) and to stay prayerful (verse 36--constant, open communication with God). His negative call is for us to not over-burden our lives or thoughts. He named two sources of that poison: dissipation (i.e., hangovers) and drunkenness ("methe" in the Greek) .
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I think people get drunk, usually, for two reasons. First, to cover up and hide from the same pains found in Eden: fear and shame. Drunkenness promises relief from that. Second, to improve the fun-factor in life--believing it's flawed in God's order. It's disbelieving the goodness and sufficiency of God's Word, and that leads to seeking the false fun of trusting myself more than God. Sure, there are both literal drunks and dry drunks. I want to watch that I'm not an alcholol-free drunk who trips over the fears, disbeliefs, and behaviors that poorly mimic walking in the Holy Spirit.
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Jesus, when I learned that the Greek's word for dissipation was "agitated skull," I remembered Your Father's agitation and Your agony at a place called the Skull (Golgotha). Because of Your cross, I have freedom to reject over-burdening my life and agitating my brain with the cares of this life. I reject those lies so I can flee to the rest (and better fun) that's found by soberly worshiping You.
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