Ephesians 5:7-14 — Conversations with God

Therefore do not be partners with them.

For you were once darkness, but now you are light in the Lord. Live as children of light (for the fruit of the light consists in all goodness, righteousness and truth) and find out what pleases the Lord. 11 Have nothing to do with the fruitless deeds of darkness, but rather expose them.  It is shameful even to mention what the disobedient do in secret.  But everything exposed by the light becomes visible—and everything that is illuminated becomes a light.  This is why it is said:

“Wake up, sleeper,
rise from the dead,
and Christ will shine on you.”

Lord, it is odd to think in Paul’s grammar of the Christian life.  He gives us an imperative (“Do not be partakers with them” in their disobedience) and says the reason rests in an indicative (“You were formerly darkness, but now you are light in the Lord”).  Father, how is the one cause for the other?

I suppose, Lord, that if I were not in actuality “light” in You, I could do nothing else but darkness.  You have done something miraculous in me and the proof or fruit of it must be obeying Your imperatives and living a life of “goodness and righteousness and truth.”  I should be trying to learn what is pleasing to You.

So help me live what I am. Instead of participating in deeds of darkness, help me to expose them with the light You have made me and given me.  Use my life to show those in darkness a better way. Give me a passion for calling them out of darkness.  Use me to wake them up so that they might see the Son shine.