Washington Irving wrote the fanciful tale of a hen-pecked, work-shy man named Rip Van Winkle. Published in 1819, the story is set in late 18th century America and tells how Rip lay down while out squirrel hunting in the Catskill Mountains of New York. Dulled by drink, he fell into a deep sleep. He awoke 20 years later, not realizing that he had slept more than a night.
There were signs something strange had occurred. His beard was a foot long, his dog was gone, and his rifle was covered in rust. When he entered his village he didn’t recognize it. There were buildings he didn’t remember. His clothes looked old-fashioned. Children made fun of him. Rip proclaimed himself a loyal subject of King George III not realizing that while he had been asleep the War of Independence had occurred and America was now its own country. He was out of place and he didn’t know why.
Many Christians today are having a similar experience. They may not have been physically asleep for 20 years, but they have maybe been cocooned in a little Christian bubble of Sunday church, Christian conferences, Christian books, and Christian music. They’ve been insulated against
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