Ephesians 5:15-20
Verse 17 Therefore do not be foolish, but understand what the Lord’s will is.
Paul starts our passage today with a reminder to be careful how we live. Paying attention to how we live starts with thoughts which want to please the Lord. It doesn’t just happen no matter how close to God we think we are. Each moment it is a renewed decision to choose His path instead of our own. We don’t inherit a heart in tuned to Him, we have to make the choice faithfully, not just once and forget it.
While we don’t earn our salvation, we need to understand the value of it and live to show we know the treasure it is. There are denominations and various religions which teach the need to focus on living a righteous life but as we talked about the other day, the power of salvation is that it kills our desire for sin. We don’t have to live under the power of sin because Jesus already conquered it.
Knowing sin is defeated doesn’t mean we don’t have to think about it and its influence in our lives, just that we are to have right thoughts about it. We can’t have careless thoughts about sin and think it will stay at bay in our lives. We have to be intentional about it but not think our righteousness earns us our way to heaven.
Part of our being careful includes thinking on and listening for the instruction of the Lord. We must be applying the knowledge of our salvation to our lives so we can see His will which He has planned for us long ago. His will should be our first and biggest desire in life. It may not be what we would dream up for ourselves but it is what He has created us for and what will fit the best into His plan for the entirety of the army.
Paul also makes a point of mentioning the need to keep a sober mind. Not drinking wine to the point where it influences our thinking but only allowing the Holy Spirit to guide us in our thinking. What better way to know God’s will than to be in tune to the Spirit and His leading. Clear thinking, clear listening and whole-hearted obedience, these are the things which can be ours when we keep the helmet of salvation firmly in place.
Making It Personal
Do you keep your thoughts focused on Christ? How quick are you to return your gaze to Him when you have been distracted by something of the world? How carelessly do you treat sin in your life?
Making It Personal Kids
How hard is it to keep your thoughts on Jesus? How quickly do you refocus on Him after getting distracted? What does it mean to take your sin seriously?
Closing Prayer
Father, thank You for this wonderful gift of salvation. Help us to see everything through the lens of our salvation so we can always know what You would choose for us to do. In Jesus’ name, amen.
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