Thoughts from daily Bible reading for today – January 18, 2018
By Tripp Prince
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 (NIV)
It is incredibly easy to drift through life without any purpose or intentionality. We catch ourselves saying things like “where did the time go?” or “has it already been a year?” Rather than proactively forming holy habits and intentional rhythms of life, we become passive slaves to our schedules. We wake up one day and say, “how did I get here,” failing to realize the inevitable results of poor decisions made years ago.
In the face of this spiritual slumber the Scriptures exhort us to stay awake, alert, and attentive. They call forth in us a way of life that must be cultivated and pursued. We never default towards wisdom and understanding. Without divine intervention and submission to God’s grace, spiritual entropy will always take root and continue to spread in our lives.
In Ephesians 5, Paul challenges his readers to pursue wisdom and flee foolish living. The word foolish can also mean “ignorant” or “unenlightened.” I think this is the sense in which Paul uses this word, calling us to not only flee evil and harmful pursuits, but to also actively turn towards the Lord and learn His ways. As he says, “understand what the Lord’s will is” (Ephesians 5:17).
You and I are prone to think higher of ourselves than we ought! We think we are wiser, more careful, and understand more than we actually do. Yet we never graduate from Paul’s challenge to us. The invitation to move from foolishness towards wisdom is a life long journey from which we must never deviate.
Take time to honestly assess the state of your spiritual wisdom and understanding. Are there areas of your life that lack careful attention and proactive investment? Call them out and create a plan to move from the path of ignorance to the way of wisdom. God has given you everything you need to pursue wisdom and learn in every area of your life what it means to walk in His will. Choose today to orient every part of your life towards His transforming grace!
“His divine power has given us everything we need for a godly life through our knowledge of him who called us by his own glory and goodness” (2 Peter 1:3).
Prayer
Father, teach me afresh how to live a careful and wise life, seeking your will in every opportunity or situation. Amen.Application
Where do you suffer from spiritual slumber or carelessness?Related Reading
2 Chronicles 15:7; Proverbs 21:5; Philippians 3:13-14Post/Tweet today
Wisdom proactively forms holy habits and avoids becoming a passive slave to a hectic schedule. #notfoolish #wisdomhuntersWorship Resource
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