Ephesians 5:15-20 (NRSV)
Read Ephesians 5:15-20 on biblegateway.com
Verse 15Be careful then how you live, not as unwise people but as wise, Verse 16making the most of the time, because the days are evil. Verse 17So do not be foolish, but understand what the will of the Lord is. Verse 18Do not get drunk with wine, for that is debauchery; but be filled with the Spirit, Verse 19as you sing psalms and hymns and spiritual songs among yourselves, singing and making melody to the Lord in your hearts, Verse 20giving thanks to God the Father at all times and for everything in the name of our Lord Jesus Christ.
Devotion
What is the will of God? Making the most of every opportunity? The answer is not always easy. Soren Kierkegaard wrote that to take a risk and fail is in God’s hands, not to risk is to live in regret. We all take risks, making choices that lead us in another direction. One such time, I was heading to Cameroun as a short-term missionary. Upon returning, I attended Luther Seminary for two years, but being foolish and impatient to return to Africa, I took a year off trying to get back there. But wisely, God kept that door closed. I returned to Seminary, graduated, was called to a congregation in Louisiana, met my wife there, and eventually God opened the door to Africa where we served together for sixteen years. Trusting in God’s will, not mine, was the wisest thing I’ve done, and I continue to pray for and trust in God’s guidance for my life.
Prayer
Holy God, we pray for your will in our lives. Do not let fear keep us from taking paths to which you call us throughout our lives, trusting in your will. In Jesus’ name. Amen.
Interested in digging deeper into today’s text?
Read more here.