The God Pause Daily Devotional from The Luther Seminary in Saint Paul, Minnesota, United States for Wednesday, 15 August 2018 Ephesians 5:15-20

The God Pause Daily Devotional from The Luther Seminary in Saint Paul, Minnesota, United States for Wednesday, 15 August 2018
Ephesians 5:15-20
Ephesians 5:15 Therefore, pay careful attention to how you conduct your life — live wisely, not unwisely. 16 Use your time well, for these are evil days. 17 So don’t be foolish, but try to understand what the will of the Lord is.
18 Don’t get drunk with wine, because it makes you lose control. Instead, keep on being filled with the Spirit — 19 sing psalms, hymns and spiritual songs to each other; sing to the Lord and make music in your heart to him; 20 always give thanks for everything to God the Father in the name of our Lord Yeshua the Messiah. (Complete Jewish Bible).
Everything we have--every breath in our lungs, every morsel of food, every sip of drink; every gift, moment, loving relationship; every bit of our story--comes as a gift from the hand of our gracious God. We have choices about how to receive and what to do with the gifts that have come our way.
God's Wisdom has something to say about how we live. We can live self-serving lives of indulgence, debauchery and foolishness. Perhaps we might dress it up a bit and say "I have amassed much; I shall eat, drink and be merry." But the intent is the same. So is God's response.
Or perhaps we shall remember Whose we are and from whence come our blessings. We can remind ourselves in psalms, hymns and spiritual songs that we are called to lives of infectious servant love in God. We can make the most of our time loving God and inviting others to share in the blessings we have so undeservedly received.
God, thank you. Help us live gratefully and generously, all to your glory. Amen.
Karl Hester, '01
Pastor, Christ the Good Shepherd Lutheran Church, Salem, Ore.
Ephesians 5:15 Be careful then how you live, not as unwise people but as wise,
16 making the most of the time, because the days are evil.
17 So do not be foolish, but understand what the will of the Lord is.
18 Do not get drunk with wine, for that is debauchery; but be filled with the Spirit,
19 as you sing psalms and hymns and spiritual songs among yourselves, singing and making melody to the Lord in your hearts,
20 giving thanks to God the Father at all times and for everything in the name of our Lord Jesus Christ. (New Revised Standard Version).

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