Ephesians 5:1-10
Verse 9 (for the fruit of the light consists in all goodness, righteousness and truth)
Yesterday we started talking about how we need to live lives of agape love and thanksgiving. Having covered the love portion of the equation, we will talk some about the need of thanksgiving in our life and what righteousness and thanksgiving have to do with each other.
It is commonly thought we have to make the choice to be better and to live better on own strength, but the truth is it isn’t about working harder and working at being better which makes us the Christians we have been called to be. Nor should we think we have the ability to earn our salvation in any way. But because of our salvation, our being chosen by God before the world began, we should be the most thankful of people.
When we are thankful to someone we love our goal is to make them happy and do things for them which we know will please them. We don’t do those nice things to gain their favor but out of thankfulness for what they have done. We may also find ourselves looking for other ways to make them happy or bring them joy. We know what drives them crazy and do our best not to do it around them. It is kind of that way with God.
While we only do those offensive habits when our friend or loved one isn’t around we need to remember God is always near. We can’t believe God won’t care if we do those offensive things once in a while. He has called us to live in light and even doing those things on occasion is really living for self, more than living for Him. Could it be we aren’t wearing our breastplate as close as we should because we aren’t as thankful as we should be?
Verse 4 tells us the thing which should be coming out of our mouth is thankfulness and if we want to thank our Commander with our actions, we need to do what verse 10 tells us to do, find out what pleases Him. If we are truly thankful for all He has called us out of and called us to, then we need to be intentional about seeking His Word and listening to His Spirit so we know what pleases Him and faithfully live thankful lives in His righteousness.
Making It Personal
Are you thankful for what He has done for you? Do your speech and actions reflect that thankfulness? Do others know you for your thankfulness?
Making It Personal Kids
What kinds of things can you say or do if you are thankful to someone for something they did for you? Can you do those same things to thank Jesus? What are some other things you can do to show Him you are thankful?
Closing Prayer
Father, we are thankful though we may not always live like it. Give us the wisdom and strength we need to live like children of light. In Jesus’ name, amen.