We Were Once...
There was a time in my history when I was known as someone and something I am no longer known as today. It is all in my past and left behind me, and I say good riddance.
Anyone who has ever truly come to know Jesus has experienced this change in their lives.
There are times, though, when a person who has come to know Jesus needs a reminder.
Ephesians 5:8 For you were once darkness, but now you are light in the Lord. Walk as children of light 9 (for the fruit of the Spirit is in all goodness, righteousness, and truth), 10 finding out what is acceptable to the Lord.
We who have come to Jesus were once darkness. Something changed. We are now light in the Lord. That comes with an expectation from the Lord Himself. We are to do life as children of light. What does doing life as a child of light look like? It is a life that exhibits the fruit of the Spirit.
We are meant to put on display - goodness, righteousness (relationship with God), and truth.
There is yet one more thing involved in the expectation of the Lord as it pertains to us. We should be finding out what is acceptable to the Lord. This is elaborated on with good reason.
Ephesians 5:15 See then that you walk circumspectly, not as fools but as wise, 16 redeeming the time, because the days are evil. 17 Therefore do not be unwise, but understand what the will of the Lord is.
The Lord desires us to be wise. The fear of the Lord is to hate evil, and the fear of the Lord is the beginning of wisdom. I do not find it odd that it says we should walk circumspectly, not as fools but as wise.
It will always be wisdom to make the most of the time that we have. That is what redeeming the time means. There is so much evil at work in the world today that it is all the more important that we heed this saged advice.
To redeem the time, be wise, and walk in wisdom, we must operate in something of great importance. We must not just know what the will of the Lord is. We must understand it. To get to such a place, we must know Him! An ongoing relationship with Jesus that is active and alive is necessary to take part in this type of instruction. Without knowing Him as He intended, we will not know and understand what His will is.
You can be aware of what something is without fully understanding it. I may know it is God’s will that I be sanctified, but do I understand what it means to be sanctified?
We were once darkness, but now we are light in the Lord, and if we understand His will concerning this simple thing, we will live as children of the light and walk in the light.
