We are all susceptible to being influenced by the culture of our day, and if we’re not conscious of this, as well as attentive to it, we can soon be living just like it. This why Paul told us to “be very careful in how we live – not as unwise but as wise, making the most of every opportunity, because the days are evil. Therefore do not be foolish, but understand what the Lord’s will is” (Ephesians 5:15-17).
When we truly surrender our lives to the Lordship of Jesus (of which is the essence of the Gospel, that it was not about having a Savior, but letting Him be Lord), we are no longer to live according to our wants, our ways, our ideas (let alone the culture of our day), but as Paul writes ever so clearly, “Those who belong to Jesus have crucified the flesh with its passions and desires” (Galatians 5:24).
This is what we are to do, die to our ways and notions to living. We don’t get to pick and choose how we want to live our lives, whether it be individually or seasonally, for the Bible says we are to live our lives faithfully, obediently according to the Word of God. Therefore, we ‘die to ourselves’ and are raised into a new way of living – living like Jesus.
Now, if you agree with this, then I simply ask you to take a moment to pause and ask yourself, how am I living? Am I justifying the things that I do, or am I truly searching the Scriptures, praying, and seeking His ever present, ever guiding Word?
Now, with this in mind, consider your last 16 weeks. How have you been living? How have you been responding through it? Has your faith remained intact? Has your faith continued to grow? Have you been grounded in the confidence of what the Word says, or living in the fears of what the world does? Have you been staying faithful, doing the righteous things, loving others, being counted on, and available to what and where God may lead?
Remember what the prophet Micah wrote, “He has told each of us what is good and what it is the LORD requires of us: to act justly, to love faithfulness, and to walk humbly with our God” (Micah 6:8).
When it is all said and done, as we come out on the other side (whatever that looks like), the question is, what will we look like? May it be said of us, “Well done My good and faithful servant. You have been faithful with a few things; I will put you in charge of many things. Come and share your Master’s happiness” (Matthew 25:21).
