Image from biblia.com
Hear the devotional: https://podcasters.spotify.com/pod/show/eradio-valverde/episodes/Live-As-Children-of-the-Light-e20coal
View the devotional: https://www.tiktok.com/@eradiovalverde/video/7210245743515323691?lang=en
8 For you were once darkness, but now you are light in the Lord. Live as children of light 9 (for the fruit of the light consists in all goodness, righteousness and truth) 10 and find out what pleases the Lord. 11 Have nothing to do with the fruitless deeds of darkness, but rather expose them. 12 It is shameful even to mention what the disobedient do in secret. 13 But everything exposed by the light becomes visible—and everything that is illuminated becomes a light. 14 This is why it is said: “Wake up, sleeper, rise from the dead, and Christ will shine on you.” (Ephesians 5:8-14 NIV)
A blessed Tuesday to you, dear Friend. May this be a sacred day for you blessed with God's grace and love. Let us pray for one another. Let us pray for those who have asked prayer from us. Pray for your pastor(s), your church family, your loved ones, your enemies, and those who have no one to pray for them.
If ever anyone knew what it was like living in darkness, it was Saul of Tarsus. He was an overachiever, he was politically well-connected, and he knew all the right people due to his education with the best rabbincal teachers of his day. When he thought he was not doing enough for God, along came Christianity and its threat against THE church, namely the Jewish faith. The reality of those who live in darkness never realize it until it's too late or an encounter with a stronger force brings the truth to them. Such was the life of Saul until Jesus of Nazareth, aka the Risen Christ met Paul head-on on the Road to Damascus. It was the turning event in Saul's life and he even got a name change out of the deal; Saul became Paul, and from Christian persecuter, he became Christian preacher, teacher, and evangelist. He had lived in darkness thinking that the only good Christian was a dead one or at least one bound and tied and headed to jail.
It was his preaching, example, and anointing of the Holy Spirit that brought many to faith, pulling out of darkness those who did not know love or the new life in abundance that Jesus offered. Paul brought the Light of Christ to them, and they now lived confidently a new life. Paul's message in this passage is a reminder they were not only in the light, they were the light and they were urged to live in the light to attract others to this better way of life. In case they did not know what that entailed, they were to be all about goodness, righteousness and truth. They were also to search what pleased the Lord Jesus. Naturally they were to avoid what Paul called "the fruitless deeds of darkness," and if they could, they should expose them. Being no longer disobedient, they were to not even think about the deeds of those still in darkness. The Light of Christ serves to make visible what the disobedient think others cannot see. To this Paul says that all who sleep, or rather, are not obedient to Christ, should "awake, rise from the dead, and Christ will shine on you."
If one should find themselves away from the light, we should heed this call from this passage to leave the darkness behind and walk towards the light of Jesus. Such is the role of the Church in the world. Are you doing your part?
PRAYER: Truly we pray that You would awaken us when we sleep and help us rise from the dead and let Your light shine on us; in Christ Jesus we pray, amen.
Have a great and blessed dqay in the Lord! YOUR CALL TO ACTION: Be the Light of Christ!
Receive my blessings of peace and joy,
Pastor Eradio Valverde, Jr.
