Then the Lord appeared to Solomon by night, and said to him: “I have heard your prayer, and have chosen this place for Myself as a house of sacrifice. 13 When I shut up heaven and there is no rain, or command the locusts to devour the land, or send pestilence among My people, 14 if My people who are called by My name will humble themselves, and pray and seek My face, and turn from their wicked ways, then I will hear from heaven, and will forgive their sin and heal their land. 15 Now My eyes will be open and My ears attentive to prayer made in this place. 2 Chronicles 7:12-15 NKJV

It is interesting how people are quick to dedicate everything to God but themselves. God accepted Solomon’s dedication of the newly built temple, but warned him of conditions of drought, devouring locusts, and pestilence that would come against the people unless they dedicated themselves to God. If God’s people dedicate themselves to God—and not just things—then God would forgive their sins and heal their land, and God’s eyes would be open and attentive to their prayers, i.e., God would be wide awake: “ . . . he that keeps Israel shall neither slumber nor sleep” (Ps. 121:4).

To be wide awake (idiom) is someone who is fully awake and unable to sleep. “Prayerfulness makes you, the believer, wide awake. Prayerlessness characterizes you as one who lives a life of “slumber and sleep.” Prayerlessness is an insult to God, because every prayer-less day makes a statement: “I do not need God today; “Lord, I got this.”  On the other hand, a life dedicated to God is a life constant with prayer. As apostle Paul told the Roman Christians: rejoicing in hope, patient in tribulation, continuing steadfastly in prayer (Rom. 12:12).

“Continuing steadfastly in prayer” is praying without ceasing (1 Thess. 5:17).  To pray without ceasing is having a spirit of prayer that depends on God for everything, and an attitude that says, “Without God, I can do nothing.” Praying without ceasing is both a daily attitude and an activity of being wide awake, i.e., talking to God from your hearts. Continuing steadfastly in prayer is also a natural expression of faith, and without faith, it is impossible to please God (Heb. 11:6) to whom you belong (1 Cor. 6:20); it is just like breathing is a natural expression of one’s life. Without prompting, you are committed to inhale and exhale to live. When your life is dedicated to God, prayer—formal or informal—keeps you wide awake.

Wide awake is praying earnestly (Matt. 7:7-8); praying persistently (Luke 18:1-8); and, it is praying and not losing heart—not quitting, ever!