Time With God

So be careful how you live. Don’t live like fools, but like those who are wise. Make the most of every opportunity in these evil days. Don’t act thoughtlessly, but understand what the Lord wants you to do.  [Ephesians 5.15-17]

In light of Paul's journey to Jerusalem where he was incarcerated and then his journey to Rome, where, for all we know, he died, it seems important here that it all could have been to have the letter to the Ephesian church written.

I mean, what might have happened if Paul just kept going, preaching everywhere and anywhere... would he have written this letter to the Ephesians? Who knows. But it is worth considering, because the letter Paul wrote to the Ephesian church is amazing.

That said, Paul wrote the sentences above from his incarceration in Rome. It is not ironic that he wrote: "Don’t act thoughtlessly, but understand what the Lord wants you to do." Remember Paul's confidence (and commitment) that he would go to Jerusalem and then his confidence that he would make it to Rome (storm and snakebite aside)?

I think too many (far too many) of us don't understand what the Lord wants us to do. Consequently, we struggle with confidence when facing adversity. In other words, storms destroy us and snakebites kill us because we haven't the 100% confidence that we are "on mission" from God (as His ambassadors). Instead, when a storm comes or death threatens, we wonder whether or not we are in God's will and subsequently waver in our confidence - becoming absorbed in whether or not we are in God's will instead of fearlessly facing the opposition (storm and snakebite) because we have places to go and things to do!

Part of the problem is that we have allowed ourselves too many sinful indulgences because that will mess up everything. But the other part of the problem is that we are not spending the time with God to know His will. Actually the two problems are one and the same. Bottom line: we aren't being careful how we live as Paul instructed above. We are not making the most our of every opportunity to obey God in these evil days. We act thoughtlessly and have no idea what God wants us to do.

There is only one solution: we must focus on more time and fellowship with God if we wish to know His will and have any sort of confidence in going about doing His will.

But time will cost us. It will cost us dearly - especially in this age of back-to-back events and activities with seemingly little or no down-time. We must stop and spend time with God. We must hear the voice of the Holy Spirit. We must KNOW the will of God before we can ever do it. WE must have 100% confidence in God's will before we go "shaking deadly snakes off."

There is no trick diet or exercise that makes us know God's will. It is simply found in spending quality time with Him and Him alone. We cannot goes days without prayer and Bible intake and expect to know God's will! And, consequently we cannot face obstacles (storms and snakebites) unharmed if we don't know God's will.

We must know God to know His will. To know God is to spend time with Him! Period.

Father, help me to spend more and more time with You.