See then that ye walk circumspectly, not as fools, but as wise, Redeeming the time, because the days are evil. Wherefore be ye not unwise, but understanding what the will of the Lord is.
Ephesians 5:15-17
Dawn begins to break once again.
Another day which the Lord has made is here.
- What will we do with it?
- How will we spend our time today?
- How much of the world and how much of God will we allow into our minds?
As we walk through this world, God wants us to walk “circumspectly” which means, “exactly, diligently, perfect”. God wants us to walk carefully and diligently through each day of our life.
He wants us to be wise, not fools.
He wants us to pay attention to our every step along this rough and narrow path to Eternal Life.
Consider that for a moment…
The Trail Of Life
Have you ever been down a hiking trail where the path is so rough, you have to watch each and every step? Failure to do so will lead to stumbling and maybe even a twisted ankle. So, we wisely watch our every step, instead of foolishly gazing into the distance.
What lies ahead may be a fantastic sight!
Yet, if we stumble and twist our ankle, we may just never make it there.
When we think about our spiritual well-being, it’s very similar. Sometimes, we become so anxious for the future, that we forget we need to navigate the present. If we are always looking ahead, it means we are not focusing on the now.
For some of us, looking ahead means allowing more of the world and its affairs into our mind than God and His Word. We don’t mean to, we may not even think about it, but we let it happen no less. This can and does lead to bumps and bruises along the narrow path.
When we allow more of the world in, it means less of God is in our minds. Instead, we need to use the few hours of this day wisely, as the days are so very evil. The world offers us much evil and sin and paints it into a beautiful canvas to be admired, and it is, by the world.
Yet, as Christians, we are to be “wise,” we are to intently focus on each and every step through this day. We are to make proper use of our time, and ensure we ‘understand the will of God’ by tuning into what He has to say.
Ahh, but we have been down this trail many times before!
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We just want to race to the end for the reward. What a foolish and dangerous mistake to make.
While we may know the trail, like we know the Word of God, the trail changes. God’s Word doesn’t change, but the obstacles of life certainly do. You see, with the rising of the sun, the next time we head down that trail, it may have changed, it may have been altered.
- The trail may be washed out.
- Vines may have grown over the trail.
- A portion of the trail may have collapsed.
What are we to do?
We didn’t account for this today…
If we had only spent more time reading our Guidebook, it would have helped us navigate this difficult situation. It would have shown us another way, or provided insight so we could overcome these obstacles.
If we had spent more time reading God’s Guidebook, we would have remembered “the rod of God” could be used to leap over this obstacle or to clear away the vines in our path, (Exodus 4:20). Just as it was used to make way for the ancient Israelites, time and time again.
If we had spent more time reading God’s Guidebook, we would have known in which “rock” we could trust to place our feet upon, (2 Samuel 22:3). To ensure we choose the appropriate step, so we do not become as the rubble of the trail below.
These unexpected events are equivalent to the trials and tribulations of life.
We cannot navigate these obstacles and troubles on our own. Instead, we must spend time reading, remembering, and meditating on the Guidebook of God called, the Bible. It must be at the forefront of our mind to ensure we “understand what the will of the Lord is,” (Deuteronomy 6:6-9).
We must never become so anxious, assuming we have it all figured out and race to the end. As we will certainly make a dreadful mistake. We will slip by the wayside or fall prey to the world.
The moral of this story?
Never become so focused on the world and its affairs that we put God in second place.