Daily Devotion – August 27, 2021 – Dr. Pat Taylor Ellison

Ephesians 5:15-20
5:15 Be careful then how you live, not as unwise people but as wise,
5:16 making the most of the time, because the days are evil.
5:17 So do not be foolish, but understand what the will of the Lord is.
5:18 Do not get drunk with wine, for that is debauchery; but be filled with the Spirit,
5:19 as you sing psalms and hymns and spiritual songs among yourselves, singing and making melody to the Lord in your hearts.
5:20 giving thanks to God the Father at all times and for everything in the name of our Lord Jesus Christ.

Be careful how you live. Good advice. Let’s look at the layers beneath this advice, which follow a litany (in previous verses) of suggestions to speak well of others, get angry but don’t sin because of anger, build one another up, etc., etc. Let’s look at why it might be prudent to be careful how you live.

  1. The writer of Ephesians wants the people to connect their lives with the Triune God. The more connected we are to God, the better our lives will be, the writer seems to be saying. How do we know it’s the Triune God? All three persons of the Trinity are mentioned in the same sentence, expressed in verses 18-20. The Spirit will fill us with a spiritual “high” as we sing and pray and praise God the Creator in the name of Jesus Christ. The Spirit in fact, says Luther, actually beckons to us to sing and pray in the first place! The Spirit reminds us that great joy is found in joining in the dance of God and so invites us to the party.
  2. OK, so the goal is to be as connected as possible into the life of God. That is wise. In order to do that we must make the most of our time. If we look at how we spend our days, we discover that we do indeed waste time. If we spent even 10 minutes of the time we waste in our day instead paying attention to what God might be up to and joining in God’s dance, that would be better and wiser use of time.
  3. We are not to make foolish choices, but instead make choices that are more in line with the will of God. Well, how do we figure that out? Not in drinking wine, apparently. But how? How would we know what is the will of God? How would we know what God is laying before us each day to do? How do we discern the Spirit’s call to us? Some people do it through prayer, some through singing, some through joining in community with others and just asking God to show us. And then paying attention.

How do you listen for what God is up to? How do you discover where God is pointing you in your life?

Gracious God, thank you for loving us. Thank you for being a part of our lives. Thank you for sending both Jesus and your Holy Spirit to keep us connected to you and for giving us hints about where you are at work near us. Help us to join you where you are at work so that we are using your gift of time wisely.   Amen.