Tuesday July 26, 2022

Today is Tuesday, July 26. This week our summer adventure takes us to Ephesians chapter five.

This is the day the Lord has made! I rejoice in God’s loving presence. I seek to receive whispers of his wisdom and follow the gems of his guidance.

Pause and Pray

Holy and loving Lord, I lay aside the burdens of the upcoming day, still the chaos of my mind and relinquish the cares of my heart. I empty myself of worldly concerns creating space to receive your indwelling presence. Come, Holy Spirit, live within me.

I rejoice in God’s goodness and praise him with the words of Psalm 19.

The precepts of the Lord are right, giving joy to the heart. The commands of the Lord are radiant, giving light to the eyes. The fear of the Lord is pure, enduring forever. The decrees of the Lord are firm, and all of them are righteous. They are more precious than gold, than much pure gold; they are sweeter than honey, than honey from the honeycomb. Psalm 19:8-10

Pause and Pray

In yesterday’s scripture, Paul encouraged his readers to imitate God walking in the way of love and self-sacrifice. The little troop of new Christians in Ephesus were surrounded by an enormous invasive pagan culture that worshiped the gods and goddesses of Greek and Rome. These gods were personified sources of power that reflected humanity’s best and worst characteristics. Christians are made in God’s image, the pagan gods were made in people’s images. The pagan gods endorsed human sexual sin, sought fertility and promoted virility. People sacrificed to these pagan gods in order to gain favor, prosperity and financial gain. Paul wants the Ephesian Christians to clearly separate themselves from the attitudes and behavior of the surrounding culture.

Among you there must not be even a hint of sexual immorality, or of any kind of impurity, or of greed, because these are improper for God’s holy people. Nor should there be obscenity, foolish talk or coarse joking, which are out of place, but rather thanksgiving. Ephesians 5:3-4

Paul makes a sharp contrast between ancient Christian believers and their surrounding culture. He establishes a similar dynamic for me. I pause to carefully examine my life as well as the behavior of the Christians in my fellowship. Paul says there must not be even a hint of sexual immorality. There must not be even a hint of impurity. There must not be even a hint of greed. There should not be obscene talk or crude jokes. God still requires this of me today. I consider where the surrounding culture attempts to invade my pure spaces and lures me to accept wrong as right. These are out of place and improper for me – one of God’s holy people.

Ask: How might being thankful for what God has given me be an antidote to immorality, impurity, greed or obscene talk? What might I need to give up, turn off, or avoid to prevent succumbing to negative attitudes or behaviors?

Pause and Pray

Lord you are holy and pure and challenge me to be so as well. Reveal the tiniest hint of immorality, impurity, obscenity or greed in me. I repent and renounce behavior that is out of place for the holy person you want me to be. Help me to grow in grace and maturity, rejecting evil and embracing good. I read the words from Ephesians again and listen for the message you have for me.

Among you there must not be even a hint of sexual immorality, or of any kind of impurity, or of greed, because these are improper for God’s holy people. Nor should there be obscenity, foolish talk or coarse joking, which are out of place, but rather thanksgiving. Ephesians 5:3-4

Ask: What image, word or phrase stands out to me when I slowly read this passage? What is God trying to say to me through these words of scripture?

Pause and Pray

I consider how God wants to speak to me this morning through these sacred verses from the book of Ephesians. What is my definition of sexual immorality and obscenity and where do I encounter it in the surrounding world? How can I protect myself and my family from what is found on television, social media and the internet that is harmful, coarse or obscene? How does the world around me encourage greed, covetousness and consumerism? I consider what it means that there “must not be even a hint” – perhaps God wants me to realize that “a hint” gives the devil a foothold and provides a slippery slope to harm.

Pause and Pray

Come, Holy Spirit, reveal my weaknesses, shine light on my imperfections, and expose my faults. Disclose the places where there is even a “hint” of impurity and remove it. Shore up my faith, strengthen my resolve, mature me in holiness, and purify me in your great love. Amen.

Do everything without grumbling or arguing, so that you may become blameless and pure, “children of God without fault in a warped and crooked generation.” Then you will shine among them like stars in the sky as you hold firmly to the word of life. Philippians 2:14-16a

As I leave this time of prayer, I go in thanksgiving for all the blessings God provides seeking to love others and serve them faithfully.

Amen