[Together as a She Reads Truth community, we are reading through Ephesians. Sign up for the reading plan here!]
Text: Ephesians 4:17-32
Futility is defined as having no useful result or purpose.
Paul says that we must no longer walk like those who don’t know God, in a futile way. This tells us two things – we DO have the ability to slip into those old patterns and we DO have the ability, in Jesus, to walk in a new way. Full of purpose. Full of fruit.
He urges us to put off our old selves and put on the new, to walk by the Spirit of our minds as we were “created after the likeness of God in true righteousness and holiness.” (verse 24 ESV)
Today let’s just take some time to take stock of our hearts. When you read through the list of the characteristics of those old selves, are there any you see present in your life and heart today? Praise God that His Son Jesus died on the cross for those useless actions and ask Him by the power of the Holy Spirit within you to take them off.
Likewise, take a second to praise Him (rather than boast in ourselves) for the qualities of the new man you might find in your life right now. If we are in Christ, the old has gone and the new has come (2 Corinthians 5:17) and He is worthy of our praise for what He’s done in our hearts and lives.
My brain is in disarray trying to pin point something to elaborate on in this blog. God is good! He is such a provider. Not only does he provide us with more than enough to live, but he surpasses that amount so that we can have life more abundantly. He not only gave us life but gave us a way for us to live life eternally with him. He has given us talents and ways to present them for His glory. He has given us the tools and the manual. God is a great God! Thank you Lord for saving my soul #Amen
Going to try to keep verse 29 in mind more often :)
To fully bask in his wonderful grace at every moment of every day is my prayer. To really and truly let go of all the worries of this world, to be still, letting go of all the fleeting thoughts that distract me. My heart desires to draw closer to Him and live as a child of the light.
It seems to me that this passage reveals that the ""taking off" and the "putting on" are acts of the will made possible by the power of the Spirit. Somehow it is His job to make the "new clothes" look so good that we become willing, even anxious, to remove the old ones. We are always happier, in ourselves, to stay with the status quo. Lord, I pray that you would open my eyes to the beauty of the new clothes you have waiting for us. Don't let us settle for the rags we have gotten used to!
Great idea! Thanks!