Daily Devotion for October 18, 2006

Careful Living

 

“Be very careful, then, how you live--not as unwise but as wise…” Ephesians 5:15

 

Did you ever feel like your life was not quite right, perhaps a bit out of control? Everything in your own world is rushing by and it feels like you are just watching, helpless as it all goes whizzing by. This is not what God wants for us. We are to live as “children of light (Ephesians 5:8).” We are living in evil times right now and it is not just “wars and rumors of wars.” We get distracted by all means of earthly pleasures and cannot find the time or energy to do God’s will. Even as servants of God, we sometimes get ourselves so deeply involved in serving others that we neglect our own spiritual health and fail to heed the will of God.

 

 “Be very careful, then, how you live--not as unwise but as wise, making the most of every opportunity, because the days are evil. Therefore do not be foolish, but understand what the Lord's will is (Ephesians 5:15-17).” When we surrender and let God’s Spirit take charge of our lives, we can live abundantly in the Spirit. There is a line from a Rolling Stones song that states: “You can’t always get what you want, but sometimes you get what you need.” I wish that I could always get what I wanted! God in his infinite wisdom knows what I need and has provided it for me. Abundant living does not mean having all of that “stuff that glitters;” it means living wisely, recognizing and understanding what God’s will is for us.

 

 Have you been planning your life without God? Have you ignored the little nudge of his Spirit as you go merrily about work and play? In our spiritual lives, we do put God at the top of the list. It is in other matters of work and recreation that we conveniently forget to include Him. He really does know all and sees all! “Be imitators of God, therefore, as dearly loved children and live a life of love, just as Christ loved us and gave himself up for us as a fragrant offering and sacrifice to God (Ephesians 5:1 & 2).”

 

Prayer
Lord, I await your Spirit. I commit my ways to you and trust you totally. Amen.

 

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