Ephesians 5:8–14 (NRSV)
Read Ephesians 5:8–14 on biblegateway.com
Verse 8For once you were darkness, but now in the Lord you are light. Live as children of light- Verse 9for the fruit of the light is found in all that is good and right and true. Verse 10Try to find out what is pleasing to the Lord. Verse 11Take no part in the unfruitful works of darkness, but instead expose them. Verse 12For it is shameful even to mention what such people do secretly; Verse 13but everything exposed by the light becomes visible, Verse 14for everything that becomes visible is light. Therefore it says, "Sleeper, awake! Rise from the dead, and Christ will shine on you."
Devotion
As we gear up for the fourth Sunday in Lent, as we hear Paul reminding the Ephesians of the transformation they have undergone, we can imagine those Ephesians asking similar questions to what we’re asking ourselves today. What does it mean to live as children of light? What fruit is Paul talking about? What does that actually mean for us? Christ is the source of light, shining upon us, making us children of Christ’s light. So, we are encouraged to issue forth in the fruit of the light: goodness, righteousness, and truth. It is a good reminder for each of us as we move through this season of Lent: how can we adjust ourselves into a posture of lifting our faces up and soaking in the light of Christ? What areas of our lives do we need to enlighten, so that we can bear more goodness, righteousness, and truth? Because the light of Christ has come, we have been radically transformed. May we bask in that light and share it with others through the power of the Holy Spirit.
Prayer
Lord, we give thanks to you for shining your light on each of us as your children. Embolden us to bear fruit of goodness, righteousness, and truth and share it with others. Amen.
Interested in digging deeper into today’s text?
Read more here.