WISDOM WEDNESDAY

Vol. 1 Issue 16 - 8-3-22

"But grow in the grace and knowledge of our Lord and Savior Jesus Christ."

- II Peter 3:18

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Greetings Church,

As a reminder we are working through the first four verses of Colossians 3 together. The last issue set the foundation as we considered, "If then you have been raised with Christ." Here we embraced the truth that in Christ we are not only forgiven our sins but are fully identified with Him in His resurrection. It is a promise that is sure and thus is the foundation for what Paul will share in the subsequent verses.

In this issue we will examine together, "seek the things that are above, where Christ is, seated at the right hand of God." As we do so Paul shares with us a command and two qualifications or focal points. Paul's command in response to the truth of our resurrection with Christ is for us to "seek the things that are above." In the NIV its says to "set your heart." In the NASB it says to "keep seeking." I believe the issue becomes one of constant pursuit not a whimsical decision to explore. We are to seek with the fullness of our lives, to seek with a longing for more and a longing for fulfillment. I liken it to what Jesus said in Matthew 5:6 "Blessed are those who hunger and thirst for righteousness, for they shall be satisfied."

The seeking then is to be done with much passion, like the day that baseball season was upon us growing up. I had made sure that my glove was ready for the season. It was oiled, a ball placed inside and tucked under my mattress to be conformed to the ball. The next morning I had made my bed and readied myself for school. The school day passed and I came home to the reality that my glove was missing. It wasn't under the mattress. It wasn't in all the other places it could be. I became frustrated as to where it had gone. I spent most of the afternoon seeking with great energy and passion. Everything that could hold a ball glove got emptied. I petitioned my mother and brother as to where it could be. I retraced my steps of the morning over and over again. It wasn't until it was time for bed that I found it. You see, my brother and I shared a room and we had trundle beds. I had taken my glove from under the mattress and placed it on the bed after making it and then rolled the bed under the other. The whole time the glove was right before me but in a place I did not look.

Unlike my search for my glove, Paul says, "seek the things that are above." We can search our whole lives and never find that which is most satisfying. We have to have the passion to "seek the things that are above." That are above gives us a location to look. The command is powerful as we bask in the wonder of the resurrection and our participation in it. Because of the resurrection of Christ we are to "seek the things that are above."

Please note that Paul doesn't leave the command alone. He does take the time to give two points of focus. Without them we would slip into Gnosticism or some type of existential nothingness. The first focal point is "where Christ is." Here is the reminder that He is risen and ascended on high. He has returned to the place from which He came. He has completed His mission to take away the sin that separates us from a Holy God. Jesus is the person we are to seek after, for He is above. Jesus is the one we are to be passionate about in the daily living out of our faith. We are not to empty ourselves and then be filled with nothing but be filled with the person and work of our Savior. When we consider the promises of Christ in our lives we will be enabled to seek Him with passion and energy so that He gets the glory.

The second focal point qualifies where Jesus is. Paul writes, "seated at the right hand of God." We seek where Christ is and Christ is "seated at the right hand of God." Three things come to mind concerning Christ being seated. The first deals with completion. He has fully returned to where He began and has completed the work and thus is seated. The second is that being "seated at the right hand of God" He is in a position of authority. He has taken His rightful place in the godhead as He is at God's right hand. The third thing that comes to mind is to ponder the question of what Jesus is doing as He is seated in a position of completion and authority. Paul writes in Romans 8:34, "Who is to condemn? Christ Jesus is the one who died - ore than that, who was raised - who is at the right hand of God, who indeed is interceding for us." What a wonderful reality that the one who died for us and rose for us is now interceding for us at the right hand of God. The focal points of our seeking bring security and confidence to not only seek Him but to live out that reality daily.

So when we build upon the foundation of our allegiance to Jesus and seek the things that are above we are to be rooted in the work of Christ completed on the cross and His ongoing work of intercession on our behalf. When we seek in this manner there is nothing that we cannot do for His glory as the work is fully His and He enables the seeking through the power of the resurrection.

May the Lord Jesus quicken your longing for Him each and every moment of every day!!!

Blessings,

PBS

 

WISDOM WEDNESDAY

Vol. 1 Issue 15 - 7-20-22

"But grow in the grace and knowledge of our Lord and Savior Jesus Christ."

- II Peter 3:18

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Greetings Church,

As we begin to consider the text of Colossians 3:1-4 we need first to understand Paul's shift in focus. He has been speaking against the false teachers in Colosse and giving wise counsel to the faithful to be aware and careful. In chapter three he moves toward the need for the believers to live a life that is pleasing to the Lord. It is important that we understand this shift as it gives us insight in how to interpret and to apply the text to our hearts and lives.

Let us remind ourselves of the passage we are considering over the next few weeks, "If then you have been raised with Christ, seek the things that are above, where Christ is, seated at the right hand of God. Set your minds on things that are above, not on things that are on earth. For you have died, and your life is hidden with Christ in God. When Christ who is your life appears, then you also will appear with him in glory." (Colossians 3:1-4). I would encourage you to read this over and over. To pray over the words that you might see their glory. To let theme impact your thinking and daily life in such a way that your approach to life and your values would be shaped into godliness.

Our focus in this issue of Wisdom Wednesday will be the first phrase of verse one, "If then you have been raised with Christ."  Here we find the motivation for what Paul calls the Colossian believers to. This portion lays the foundation for all that follows as Paul calls them to a life that is pleasing to the Lord.

Here in the ESV it is presented as a conditional phrase, "if then". Often when we see conditional phrases we shift our attention to ourselves as the point of the condition as if we had something to do. But here the condition is focused upon a truth revealed. As such we need to consider where this truth was revealed. We begin with the book in which the condition is presented. This process is that of letting scripture interpret scripture. When we consider what Paul has written in the book we find the answer to the condition of truth revealed in Colossians 2:11-15, "In him also you were circumcised with a circumcision made without hands, by putting off the body of the flesh, by the circumcision of Christ, having been buried with him in baptism, in which you were also raised with him through faith in the powerful working of God, who raised him from the dead. And you, who were dead in your trespasses and the uncircumcision of your flesh, God made alive together with him, having forgiven us all our trespasses, by canceling the record of debt that stood against us with its legal demands. This he set aside, nailing it to the cross. He disarmed the rulers and authorities and put them to open shame, by triumphing over them in him."

There is much to consider in the passage as it demonstrates our unity with Christ and the victory that is secured by His work on the cross. We need only at this point to focus our attention upon verses 11,12. Paul takes the act of circumcision and makes it one in which it is more spiritual than physical. Ours is not a circumcision made by hands, in other words, just a physical act. Our circumcision is one of unity with Christ as it is His circumcision of our hearts that puts off the body of flesh. He continues to build upon this reality by bringing us to our baptism in Christ. Having been buried with him in baptism moves us to see our full identification with Christ's death, burial and resurrection. We identify with His death when we enter the water, identify with His burial as we go under the water and identify with His resurrection when we come up out of the water. Baptism then becomes the sign of our full identification with Christ. Paul speaks to this when he says, "in which you were also raised with him through faith in the powerful working of God, who raised him from the dead." This being raised from the dead is the same raised that Colossians 3:1 speaks about, "If then you have been raised with Christ". Christ's resurrection and our faith in its reality becomes an appropriation of faith as we demonstrate our full allegiance with Him in baptism.

The motivation is then set as we consider the condition. If you have been raised with Christ, if you share in the new life He has given and are fully aligned with Him, then you will long to live a life pleasing to Him. When we grasp the reality of what Christ has done for us, we long to give Him the fullness of our lives. We long to live in such a way that His Word is our priority, that His will is our will, that His glory is what we long to bring in our daily worship of Him.

The foundation is set in the work of Christ. We must remind ourselves constantly that it is His work not ours. This thought goes against all that we have been trained in concerning our living in this world. The curse of sin is hard work and at times we elevate the curse to be a mandate for picking ourselves up by our own boot straps, when in reality we work the work and give God the glory and the thanks for the strength to do the work. Scripture faithfully calls us to find our meaning, hope and perspective of life to be of the Father and not of this world. This calling is to prepare us for the joy of being eternally in His presence. So, Paul lays the foundation as a reminder of what Christ has done so that we would pursue that which is of Christ in a world that is destined for decay so that in it all Christ would be glorified.

Blessings,

PBS

 

WISDOM WEDNESDAY

Vol. 1 Issue 14 - 7-13-22

"But grow in the grace and knowledge of our Lord and Savior Jesus Christ."

- II Peter 3:18

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Greetings Church,

In the last issue I referenced a habit of mine that I recite Scripture when I go to bed. My predominant passage is Colossians 3:1-4, "If then you have been raised with Christ, seek the things that are above, where Christ is, seated at the right hand of God. Set your minds on things that are above, not on things that are on earth. For you have died, and your life is hidden with Christ in God. When Christ who is your life appears, then you also will appear with him in glory." This along with all of Ephesians 2 are my favorite passages of Scripture.

I share this with you as an encouragement to memorize Scripture and secondly to begin a small exposition of the Colossians passage. In this issue we will focus upon the need for memorization and its vital importance to our walk with the Lord. Then in subsequent issues we will expound the passage and draw some significant points of application to our lives in Christ.

The value of Bible memorization is multifaceted. In Colossians 3:16, Paul states, "Let the word of Christ dwell in you richly, teaching and admonishing one another in all wisdom, singing psalms and hymns and spiritual songs, with thanksgiving in your hearts to God." Here we find the foundation being set for our lives together in the church, the called out ones. We cannot effectively teach, admonish, sing or give thanks if the Word is not dwelling in us. Not only are we to pursue its indwelling but it is qualified that we do so in the richness of the Word. Without letting the word of Christ dwelling in us richly we will become impoverished and weak in our walk with the Lord. We will find our hearts developing spiritual heart disease as we strive to accomplish heavenly things with earthly works. It is a very real and present danger for us to forget the Word in the dailiness of our lives.

The Psalmist in Psalm 119 approaches Scripture memory by posing a question first. In Psalm 119:9 we read, "How can a young man keep his way pure? By guarding it according to your word." Here again we see the necessary of Scripture memory and knowledge so that we can guard our hearts against sin and impurity. I am reminded of a quote on my Face Book page from Martyn Lloyd-Jones, "The great concern of the New Testament Epistles is not about the size of the church. It is about the purity of the church." What fitting reminder for us to contemplate when most Bible churches are just as biblically illiterate as the world. Guarding one's heart and keeping pure is the outcome of the Word that is living and active in our lives.

Just two verses later the Psalmist writes, "I have stored up your word in my heart, that I might not sin against you." (Ps. 119:11 ESV) In the NIV it says, "I have hidden your word in my heart, that I might not sin against you." (Ps. 119:11) In the NASB it says, "Your word I have treasured in my heart, that I may not sin against You." (Ps. 119:11) Let's draw so insights from each of these translations of the same verse. We see the words stored, hidden, and treasured in reference to the act of memorization. Each of these words help us understand the great value of Bible memorization. To store suggests that we are keeping the word at the ready to be used. To be ready in season and out of season. To hide suggests that we long to protect it in our hearts in such a way that its protection is constantly at work in our lives. To treasure suggests that we place great value upon the Word and thus want to have it in our hearts because of its work upon our hearts. Each of these words help us to see that Bible memorization is not just a discipline to be pursued but a practice that will bring about change.

In the second half of these passages we find the outcome or result of storing, hiding, and treasuring. That result is that I might not sin against God in the ESV and the NIV. In the NASB, it says may not. The expectation is that as we memorize Scripture we will see its impact upon our daily lives in Christ and our bent toward sin will be growing smaller and smaller. The practice is not to be just to be about our brain but our heart or soul, the fullness of our being. We are to let the Word of God so touch and transform us that we will see the wonder of Christ in it and long to have it be in the very fabric of our lives.

As we consider the memorization of Scripture the natural excuse is to say, "I can't memorize anything." I would beg to differ. Do you remember the names of your children, grandchildren, aunts, uncles, grandparents, neighbors, and classmates? How did you come to know these names, but through repetition and more repetition. Thus the practice of Bible memorization is two fold. First, taking a particular passage and reading it over and over again until you have it seared into your memory. The second is the reading of God's Word daily, multiple times a day. This habit will give you the broader experience of first remembering where in general you have read something and then over time you will be able to remember the specifics. So, we find our hearts longing for the Word and thus find ourselves without much effort memorizing the Word and bringing daily application to our lives. As I have said many times, "We are to have a read Bible."

May the Lord richly bless and expand your efforts in memorization by being daily in the Word.

Blessings,

PBS

WISDOM WEDNESDAY 

 Vol. 1 Issue 13 - 7-6-22

"But grow in the grace and knowledge of our Lord and Savior Jesus Christ." 

- II Peter 3:18

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Greetings Church,

It has been a while since I have written to you. Many excuses have come across my mind and most have focused upon the issue of inspiration rather than motivation. As I have contemplated these thoughts the end result is that I have realized that these reflections are speaking more to me, just as much as to you.

The other night while reciting Scripture before going to sleep, I was prompted to think about the issue of inspiration and was convicted that I do not need inspiration to write as I already have it in Christ, through the Spirit and the power of the Word. If I relegate my writing to my own inspiration I put God in a box, negate the power of the cross, ignore the prompting of the Spirit and the Word that is living and active becomes stale and powerless.

All those things grow from a dependence upon the flesh rather than the Lord. Daily in our lives we need to not only live with repentant hearts but hearts that keep our focus upon the Lord in such a way that we realize the more we know Him the more we will see our intimate need of Him. His glory, wonder, grace, wisdom, peace and comfort, etc., are already ours in Christ. We need only to appropriate their reality and live them out as He empowers us by the Spirit and the Word.

Two Scriptures come to mind to help in remembering these truths. The first is Philippians 4:19, "And my God will supply every need of yours according to his riches in glory in Christ Jesus." Here the Apostle Paul makes it plain that every need of ours will be supplied. Regardless of what those needs are, God will supply them perfectly. Please note that the needs have a catch. They are not needs that find their foundation in the flesh but in the glorious riches in Christ Jesus. How many times have we reasoned ourselves into a decision concerning something we thought we needed only to realize that it had no value at all? When we realize that God supplies the true needs of our heart namely Christ in all His glory our value system shifts dramatically. As Jesus taught in Matthew 6:33, "But seek first the kingdom of God and all his righteousness, and all these things will be added to you." What a glorious reminder of God's provision.

The second Scripture comes from II Peter 1:3,4 "His divine power has granted to us all things that pertain to life and godliness, through the knowledge of him who called us to his own glory and excellence, by which he has granted to us his precious and very great promises, so that through them you may become partakers of the divine nature, having escaped from the corruption that is in the world because of sinful desire." Several reminders leap off the page in this passage. We see that the provision finds its source in God not us. His power has granted, His revelation has granted, His rescue is exercised in the fulfillment of His promises to us. This passage of promise is not to be used as a lucky charm or expression but a reminder that God is the one who provides the power through His promises so that all things that pertain to life and godliness are ours in Him. As such the end result is not a blessed life in the world but a glorious life free from sinful desire. I find it interesting that we can easily commingle worldly wisdom with Biblical wisdom. We sprinkle wisdom of the flesh in a way to justify it with a little bit of truth from the Word. If we have escaped the corruption of the flesh why do we purposely seek it out?

The wonder of the Lord's motivation, inspiration and power is part and parcel of our relationship with Him through Christ. We need not find the source in our fallen heart but in the heart that is fully redeemed in Christ. Our redemption and repentance is to be upon our hearts every moment of our day. That reflection will give us all we need because He has promised it.

"May the God of peace himself sanctify you completely, and may your whole spirit and soul and body be kept blameless at the coming of our Lord Jesus Christ." (I Thessalonians 5:23)

Blessings,

PBS

 

WISDOM WEDNESDAY

Vol. 1 Issue 12 - 5-11-22

"But grow in the grace and knowledge of our Lord and Savior Jesus Christ."

- II Peter 3:18

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Greetings Church,

As Christians we often find ourselves putting expectations upon ourselves that we misunderstand. One of those expectations is that those who are in Christ are to be fearless. That following Christ makes us invincible and thus we are to be victorious daily in our walk with Him. Most of this expectation is true when it deals with the promised eternal state that we are to live out today. But we must find the solution to our fear in the daily abiding in Christ. Without Him it is impossible to be fearless.

Yet, when we properly understand this truth we must come to realize that fear is part of our existence in a fallen world. The key to responding to our fears does not come from within us as if we have the power to do so but comes from our dependence upon the Lord. In Psalm 56:3,4 we read, "When I am afraid, I put my trust in you. In God, whose word I praise, in God I trust; I shall not be afraid. What can flesh do to me?" Please notice the first reality and that is fear comes upon us. The psalmist says, "when I am afraid". Fear here deals with the stresses and fears of this life. It is not the reverent awe we are to have before a Holy God. Fear is an emotion that stirs us, that causes us to act in response to a proper understanding of what is feared. We must not think that fear is something a Christian should never have.

The reason we have fear as an emotion we all have and often deal with, is that it causes us to run. The question then is where do we run to or who do we run to. The psalmist again gives us insight into that, as he states, "when I am afraid, I put my trust in you." Fear moves us to seek out the Lord for His grace and protection. His desire is for us to run to Him when we are afraid. Trusting in the Lord is the significant fear catcher. He longs with open arms to receive us when afraid, just like when we were children and we ran into our father or mother's arms when afraid. Trusting in the Lord is not only to be done when afraid but something we are to do always. "Trust in the Lord with all your heart, and do not lean on your own understanding. In all your ways acknowledge him, and he will make straight your paths." (Proverbs 3:5,6) Here again the realization for our hearts is that we sometimes choose our own ways and we need to strive to trust Him for His ways. This should be an ever growing trust in Him.

How do we come to this understanding of fear before a Holy God? We do so by being in the Word that is "living and active, sharper than any two-edged sword, piercing to the division of soul and of spirit, of joints and marrow, and discerning the thoughts and intentions of the heart." (Hebrews 4:12) The psalmist says, "In God, whose word I praise, in God I trust; I shall not be afraid." The Word reveals the promises of God. The Word is to be praised not as if we put it on a pedestal but that we spend time in it and hide it in our hearts. We cannot give praise to something we do not know. "How can a young man keep his way pure? By guarding it according to your word....I have stored up your word in my heart that I might not sin against you." (Psalm 119:9,11) As we are in the Word we realize that when we are afraid we trust in the One who has revealed His promises that we have kept in our hearts. Therefore, run to Him, run to His Word, hide it in your hearts, let it bring the purity needed to trust in Him.

The last phrase in verse four brings the issue of fear to a conclusion. It references the life we live in the flesh. A life that needs redemption. A life that is born again through faith in Jesus Christ. The question is asked, "What can flesh do to me?" I like how this is translated as it helps us understand that fear can come from without and from within. Flesh then represents not just another human being that is causing the fear but also our own selves can be causing the fear. In either case fear attempts to draw us away from God. But trusting God with our fear brings the flesh into proper focus. What can it do to me? If our fear is given to the Lord by trusting in His promises revealed then the flesh can do nothing to us whether it is from without or within.

We all face fears and trials of many kinds, yet we have a solution to them all. "When I am afraid, I put my trust in you. In God, whose word I praise, in God I trust; I shall not be afraid. What can flesh do to me?" (Psalm 56:3,4)

Let us trust in Him!!!

Blessings,

PBS

 

WISDOM WEDNESDAY

Vol. 1 Issue 11 - 5-4-22

"But grow in the grace and knowledge of our Lord and Savior Jesus Christ."

- II Peter 3:18

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Greetings Church,

On the eve of the National Day of Prayer I would like to encourage you to consider increasing your daily prayer output. Calling on the Lord should not be an annual event dictated by the world, it should be a moment by moment experience just like breathing. This is what Paul means when in I Thessalonians 5:13 he said, "pray without ceasing". As with breathing, prayer should be a natural expression of our existence. It should not be something we come to when we have exhausted every other avenue but the first place that we go.

Paul in Ephesians 6 in his discussion of the whole armor of God makes prayer a vital part of the armor. Listen to verses 18-20, "praying at all times in the Spirit, with all prayer and supplication. To that end keep alert with all perseverance, making supplication for all the saints, and also for me, that words may be given to me in opening my mouth boldly to proclaim the mystery of the gospel, for which I am an ambassador in chains, that I may declare it boldly, as I ought to speak." He shares three broad things for us to consider in our prayer lives.

The first is that prayer is to be at all times. The time for prayer is always. There is never a time that prayer is not appropriate or beneficial. Thus we need to develop this awareness of the need to pray in the dailiness of our lives. We sell ourselves short when we limit the need to pray. I learned from my Nana that prayer was for all occasions not just a blessing at a meal. Paul clarifies what the prayer life should be like as he states, "in the Spirit". He wants the intercessor to be a part of our prayer lives. The Holy Spirit is to be the one who directs our prayer lives as we depend upon Him to give us insight and understanding. This is one reason at our prayer meeting on Thursday nights we begin with prayer so that we will be guided to pray in accordance to the Lord's will. Paul further gives insight to what this praying at all times looks like when he finishes, with "all prayer and supplication". Here Paul directs us to prayer, as in praying in general or prayer that does not ask but a prayer of praise and thanksgiving. Supplication means that we make a humble petition to the Lord, namely this is the ask. So Paul encourages us to be "praying at all times in the Spirit, with all prayer and supplication."

Secondly, Paul gives us direction or subject matter for us to pray for. In the midst of the armor that is put on we have a focused place of attention or use for the armor and that is prayer. Yet the prayer life is not just for the armor bearer/wearer but for all the saints. The second portion of verse 18 says, "To that end keep alert with all perseverance, making supplication for all the saints." The alertness comes from our pursuit of the Lord in prayer. We are to do so with all perseverance. Being alert means we are aware of the battle around us and that we maintain this alertness with all our strength and follow through. The purpose for such is that we are "making supplication for all the saints." Our prayer lives then find their greatest strength not in just praying ourselves but praying for others. Here that prayer is broad in nature for all the saints. Yet it suggests that we take note of and are aware of the needs of others around the world. We need not only research those needs as published by various mission organizations but realize at the heart that our own struggles are not much different than theirs. So we pray not in generalizations but growing out of our own needs we pray with perseverance for them.

Lastly, Paul moves to himself as he asks for the Ephesians to cover him in prayer. He becomes the example to follow as we pray for all the saints. The saints here are those who profess Jesus as Lord and Savior. Paul is very specific about what to pray for, which helps us to know that we need to be specific about the needs of the saints around us. Take care to note that unspoken prayers are not found in scripture and Paul is very specific about what to pray for. Thus we need to be in relationship with one another to know how to pray for each other. We need to be consistent in asking how we can pray for one another. We need to be consistent in following up with those needs so that we are enabled to continue to pray for each other.

It is my prayer that you will be encouraged to pray daily and often. To be a prayer warrior for the church God has called you to be a part of. I would also like to invite you to make prayer meeting on Thursday nights a new weekly habit. I know you will be blessed as you pray with and for the saints.

Blessings,

PBS

 WISDOM WEDNESDAY

Vol. 1 Issue 10 - 4-27-22

"But grow in the grace and knowledge of our Lord and Savior Jesus Christ."

- II Peter 3:18

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Greetings Church,


It is so amazing that we welcomed little Kinsley Joan into this world just a month ago. Now she is one month old and we are puzzled over where the time has gone. Yet in that time the world continues to move toward the return of our Lord and Savior Jesus Christ. When we find ourselves thinking about the passing of time we often take the tack that somehow we have to control it. That somehow we must be able to use it more wisely and thus control its passing and impact. When you have young children or grandchildren in your life you realize quickly that life is made up of many so called interruptions or as some would call them God moments.

Let us be mindful of our understanding of time concerning our value and our submission to our sovereign God. We looked recently at James 4:13-16 and I would encourage you to read it again. But I want to make note as a reminder of what it says in verse 14 about us. "What is your life? For you are a mist that appears for a little time and then vanishes." The question and answer puts into perspective our lives and what we boast in or pursue for our own sake, if we are to understand this in context. In the grand scheme of things James sets us in the realm of eternity. So as we live in light of eternity we gain understanding that our lives here on earth are but a mist, a vapor in proper perspective. Therefore, we are to use our lives, our time in a manner that is in submission to the Lord and His will, not our dreams, wants and desires. This thought, as is evident by the piercing in your heart or stomach, goes against all that we are taught to pursue in this world. The reason for this is that those who follow Christ are not of this world, "But you are a chosen race, a royal priesthood, a holy nation, a people for his own possession, that you may proclaim the excellencies of him who called you out of darkness into his marvelous light." (I Peter 2:9)

So, if we are a mist, then how are we to live? How are we to use the time we have? The Apostle Paul calls us to, "Therefore be imitators of God, as beloved children. And walk in love, as Christ loved us and gave himself up for us, a fragrant offering and sacrifice to God." (Ephesians 5:1,2) Later in verses 15,16 he says, "Look carefully then how you walk, not as unwise but as wise, making the best use of the time, because the days are evil." When you put the two together and there is much in between that helps to understand what being an imitator is all about, we see that an imitator uses time wisely. The ESV doesn't translate it as redeem the time as if we must buy it back to use over again. The time given is to be used wisely or making the most of your time or making the most of every opportunity. The use then is focused upon using our time to be faithful imitators of God. If that is the focus, which I believe it is, then we must see all the details of our day as an opportunity to imitate God. We must walk in love. We must give ourselves to others. We must offer our lives as living sacrifices.

Notice that there are two motivating factors in these verses. The first is the love of God in Christ Jesus our Lord. Jesus loved us by giving himself up. By laying down His life for us as a fragrant offering and sacrifice to God. As we imitate the Lord, Jesus is our example to follow. We must not follow others if they are not following Christ. We must not elevate another as our ultimate example of one who imitates God. The example can only be Jesus.

The second motivator brings us to another expression of time, "because the days are evil." The days were evil just as much then as they are now. The focus is not upon the evil times and finding despair but to focus upon being empowered to be ever more faithful to be imitators of God in the midst of evil. For it is in those times that our faith is tested to be genuine. Paul says to look carefully. To pay attention to how we are living. To walk in love, as Christ loved us. To live our lives as those who pay attention to how we love the Lord in the dailiness of our lives. To be wise not unwise, for "The fear of the Lord is the beginning of wisdom, and the knowledge of the Holy One is insight."(Proverbs 9:10)

So, when life seems to be filled with many interruptions. Remember, that even then we are to be imitators of God and walk in His love and be wise in how we use the time given for that moment for His glory.

Blessings,
PBS