As we look ahead to the weekend with great aniticipation or a bit of dread, I want to encourage your hear with Paul's words in Ephesians 5:
"Look carefully then how you walk,
not as unwise but as wise,
making the best use of time, because the days are evil.
Therefore, do not be foolish,
but understand what the will of the Lord is.
And do not get drunk on wine,
for this is debauchery, but be filled with the Spirit,
addressing one another in psalms and hymns
and spiritual songs, singing and making melody
to the Lord with all your heart,
giving thanks always and for everything to God the Father
in the name of our Lord Jesus Christ,
submitting to one another out of reverence for Christ."
(vv 15-21)
As we approach another weekend, I pray that we will consider what the will of God is for our lives. For many, the will of God is more like an abstract plan that we will never completely understand or even attain. We think of it the way we think of our soul mate--that special someone that is floating around out there and if we are lucky, we may just cross paths.
I must say that I strongly disagree (I don't believe in soul mates either, but I'll save that for my Valentine's Day post ;) because as we spend time in God's Word, we see that God did not just give us a command without any direction. If we read, we will see that God does indeed give us direction.
1.) 'look carefully then how you walk' (v 15). This implies action. We are not stagnant, immobile or unproductive. We are moving forward, even if we are in a state of rest. We are being deliberate and intentional.
2.) 'making the best use of time because the days are evil' (v 16). Time is like money, it is fluid and is always moving. If we don't manage it, budget it and plan it, it will slip through our fingers like a grain of sand. We need to recognize the fact that our days are numbered and the evil that swirls around us needs to remind us that we are indeed mortal men. We will come to the day when we will behold the face of our Creator. For some that may be just moments or days from now, while others may have decades left. When is irrelevant, what is important is how we are preparing our souls for that day. Just as a bride plans for and prepares herself for her wedding day, so we too ought to plan and anticipate that day. How we manage our time will not only give us a better quality of life, but will serve to prepare our hearts to meet Jesus.
3.) 'Therefore do not be foolish, but understand what the will of God is.' (v 17). That's right--it is possible to understand God's will is! As we spend time in God's Word and our ability to understand and desire God's will will grow and develop. We don't have wander aimlessly through life squandering our time and talents in a feverish attempt to make something out of our lives. Rather, we can strive to live lives of purpose, surround ourselves with godly people and spend time in God's Word.
4.) 'do not get drunk on wine, for that is debauchery, but be filled with the Spirit...' (v18). Let's remember that Jesus Himself was invited to a wedding (John 2) which gives us the understanding that He was a fun guy. They didn't invite Him for His miraculous abilities, because He had yet to perform any. They simply invited Him because they desired His company. Jesus was the embodiment of holiness and He was fun! Being a Christian and following a life that is patterned after His does not mean wearing floor length skirts, praying 23 hours a day and only leaving the house for church meetings. While we do live by Biblical conviction, Jesus Christ has come that we may have life abundantly . Drunkenness and the foolishness that walks with that lifestyle does not produce the fruit and fulfillment in our lives that God desires. God gives us guidelines to live by, not to withhold good from us, but to care for and protect us. When we stay within these guidelines, our lives will be more fulfilling than any beverage or buzz could provide.
5.) 'addressing one another in psalms and hymns and spiritual songs, singing and making melody to the Lord with all your heart, giving thanks always and for everything to God the Father in the name of Jesus Christ, submitting to one another out of reverence for Christ.' (vv19-2) Does this mean that we need to go around chanting and quoting proverbs as we address one another? No. This simply means that our speech ought to reflect that of Christ. We have a large affect on others through the way we talk, and our talk needs to be edifying the way God's word is. Thankfulness is critical and ought to be woven through our lives and relationships that the scarlet thread that binds. As we live with a heart of gratitude, God will be exalted, people will be encouraged and our time on earth will be greatly different. As we seek to submit to one another, putting their needs above our own, we will stand amazed at the unity and love that will result.
Oh God that you would lead us this weekend. I pray that you would provide us with a time of fellowship with other believers and that we would come away refreshed and encouraged. I pray dear Lord that we would have heart set on You and that we would have a renewed understanding of Your will for our lives. I pray that you would bless our hearts with productivity, rest and refreshment. Thank you Jesus for Your Word. May we hunger and thirst for it as we do nourishment for our physical bodies.
I love you Jesus.
Tiffany
If you are anything like me, you go into your weekends with great expectations of rest and productivity. I always find myself Sunday night wondering where the weekend went and how it seemed to slip through my fingers like a grain of sand.
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